From 25 to 29 May 2026, Prague hosted the 28th edition of the National Sports Games for Visually Impaired Young People. The competition, organised by the Jaroslav Ježek School, welcomed eight teams from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The young athletes competed in athletics, swimming, goalball and showdown. Approximately 300 medals in twelve different designs were produced for the individual disciplines and categories. A team of PhD students from the Institute of Machining Technology, Design and Metrology at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, led by Ing. Lukáš Pelikán, Ph.D., undertook their production.
From graphic design to a tangible medal
The collaboration began when Lukáš Pelikán was approached by Lenka Kučerová, deputy headteacher of the Jaroslav Ježek School and director of the sports games. The organising school provided two-dimensional graphic designs for the medals. The task for the team from the Czech Technical University was to convert these into three-dimensional models and devise a suitable production process.
Braille required the most attention
It was not possible to simply transfer its standard graphic representation onto the surface of the medal mechanically. It was necessary to determine the appropriate size, shape and height of the individual dots so that they would be easily recognisable to the fingertips whilst also being reliably producible. Several trial versions were therefore produced, which were assessed by blind children in collaboration with Lenka Kučerová. Based on their feedback, the geometry was gradually adjusted. The final height of the Braille relief was set at 0.3 mm.
“The hardest part wasn’t printing the medal itself. The key was to create a surface geometry that young athletes would be able to read unambiguously and comfortably by touch. It was therefore not the measured dimensions that determined the final quality, but above all how it felt to them,” says Lukáš Pelikán.
Production of twelve different variants
MSLA 3D printing technology was chosen for production, as it allows for the capture of fine surface details whilst producing multiple pieces in a single batch. It was precisely this combination of approximately 300 medals and twelve distinct designs that was decisive in the choice of technology.
Producing individual moulds for plastic injection moulding or casting would have been both time-consuming and costly for such a complex one-off series. With 3D printing, it was possible to modify individual variants directly in the digital data and to continuously adjust the relief design as well.
Up to 24 medals could be placed on a single printing platform. However, before the actual production run began, a number of prototypes were created, which the team used to fine-tune the Braille script, the orientation of the medals, the support structures and the printing parameters.
After printing, the pieces were washed to remove any residual uncured resin, followed by post-curing with ultraviolet light, removal of the support structures, sanding, and a surface inspection. The final step was painting, which gave the medals their desired colours and highlighted the embossed motifs. “We took the visual result just as seriously as the tactile one. A medal is not just for athletes, but also for their families, coaches and everyone who shares that moment with them,” adds Vladislav Andronov, an expert in additive manufacturing and post-processing. The entire process, from the first test models to the completion of the entire series, took several dozen days and used 10 kg of resin.
Additive manufacturing for specific requirements
The production of medals has demonstrated the potential of 3D printing for the manufacture of small and medium-sized batches with a high number of variants. The technology has made it possible to combine fine surface details, tactile elements and individual graphic designs without the need to produce separate moulds for each version.
It is precisely for products whose shape, surface or method of use are based on the specific requirements of a particular user group that additive manufacturing can be a suitable alternative to conventional manufacturing technologies.
Translated with DeepL.com
