The distributed model of additive manufacturing has proven to be a valuable tool in the manufacturing supply chain as proven by the annual IC3D Printers 3D Printed Toys for Tots campaign. Using this distributive manufacturing model, IC3D and the 3D Printer Elves have been able to create over 61,000 individual toys that were distributed around the nation. Similarly, IC3D’s 2020 PPE production in response to Covid-19 produced over 15,000 face mask frames without the long start up time normally encountered by traditional manufacturing methods.

Inspiration drives innovation. Little did we know that a wild idea in the summer of 2014 would grow into a nation-wide campaign driven by a vast distributed manufacturing network capable of supporting traditional manufacturing infrastructure.

IC3D attended the Maker Faire in Detroit, MI as a US-based manufacturer of 3D printer filament and desktop 3D printers. When Matt Organiscak — cofounder & COO — surveyed the landscape of 3D printing at the time, he noticed that most of the items being printed fell under the category of “toy”.

This sparked the idea: wouldn’t it be cool if people 3D printed toys that could be donated to Toys for Tots? His vision was clear:

1. You are making toys — they need toys.
2. This would be an interesting way to put end-use 3D printed items out into the world, making a nebulous concept tangible and real.

Organiscak visualized a campaign uniting thousands of 3D printer operators creating toys for children across the nation. Children who may not have access to 3D printers at school or home could have direct, personal interactions with a 3D printed object to serve as a tactile example of what can be achieved with access to technology & know-how. As most people know however, the leap between having an idea to executing that idea well is huge. Four years later, IC3D took that leap and launched the IC3D Printers 3D Printed Toys for Tots campaign.

On December 14, 2018, IC3D made its first donation of 3D printed toys to Columbus-area U.S. Marine Reserve Corps Toys for Tots chapters. There were about 150 moveable robot toys that all fit in one box. While the initial toy count was small, the goal wasn’t to produce an impressive number of toys. The goal was to get it done and share with others that it was feasible. There were plenty of lessons learned after that first experience, namely what to look for in toy design and how to cultivate good relationships with designers. If you want to produce a toy that will pique children’s interest in a very competitive market, then small, stationary, unbranded toys won’t cut it. They also don’t do much to highlight the capabilities of 3D printing. A larger, flexible toy with some personality would be far more dynamic and generate more interest in 3D printing technology.

The other major question that continues to arise every year is how to scale the program. Once IC3D showed that quality 3D printed toys could be produced and welcomed by the Toys for Tots program, others were eager to join. As the roster of Printer Elves grows, capacity and staffing at IC3D has largely stayed the same. There are two extrusion lines producing filament and there are four people managing the campaign.

After the success of 2020’s campaign saw IC3D employees driving across Ohio and Michigan to donate toys, we knew we had reached administrative, production, and financial capacity. This campaign can only continue as long as it is sustainable — structural change would be necessary for continued growth.

Thus, Elf Hubs were born. Over the years, certain Printer Elves have shown to be passionate, meticulous, and dedicated in their efforts. These 19 individuals were enlisted to organize the over 400 Printer Elves in their regions. They would be responsible for receiving toys, quality controlling toys, and, finally, donating toys to their local Toys for Tots program. Elf Hubs were located in Ohio, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Colorado, Connecticut, Missouri, Illinois, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, Nevada, Texas, Louisiana, California, and even Alaska.

As we’re closing the books on last year and looking forward to 2022, the question remains: how do we scale? What does growth look like? Growth could be more toys, more volunteers, more hubs, more donors. The truth is, it will be some proportion of all of those things. IC3D needs more financial partnership to sustain the program. With popularity growing every year, there will naturally be more hubs and volunteers. All of these factors will lead, of course, to more toys. More toys to more children, producing more smiles, inspiring the next generation of designers, creators, and engineers.

We owe a humongous thank you to all of the Printer Elves, the Elf Hub Managers, and sponsors for their contributions that enable this campaign.