Stratasys F900 build chamber is large enough to 3D print giraffe-sized skull and heart

TriMech’s Advanced Manufacturing Services continues its support of Anne Innis Dagg Foundation

A giraffe-sized model of a human heart may not be a typical print job for an industrial 3D printer, but it’s definitely a fascinating one.

In 2022, Mary Dagg, CEO of the Anne Innis Dagg Foundation, dreamt of a 3D-printed, true-to-life replica giraffe skull that could be used to wow and educate audiences of all ages. Mary’s mother Anne, whose extraordinary life is featured in the documentary The Woman Who Loves Giraffes, created the foundation to raise awareness and funds to protect giraffes and their habitat.

Read our original story outlining how TriMech’s Advanced Manufacturing Services made Mary’s dream a reality: Life-sized 3D-printed giraffe skull is an eye-catching educational tool for the Anne Innis Dagg Foundation

Jumping ahead to 2024, Anne’s story and artifacts are being featured in a special exhibit at THEMUSEUM in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. The organizers of “GIRAFFE | A Heightened Experience” knew that the 3D-printed replica skull would be displayed and wanted to add another educational piece. They chose to go with a model of a human heart, enlarged to show the size of a giraffe’s.

3D Printed Giraffe Skull and Heart

TriMech’s Advanced Manufacturing Services team (at Javelin’s headquarters in Ontario) again stepped up with a donation of time and materials to support the good work of the foundation and the museum exhibit in bringing awareness to the extraordinary species and the challenges they face in their changing environment.

Using the Stratasys F900 3D printer, Javelin created another replica giraffe skull and a massive model of human heart, both about two feet tall.

3D Printed Display Pieces

A printer with a workhorse reputation

When size matters, the F900 does the job. The system (in operation at all three of TriMech’s services locations) produces highly accurate manufacturing aids and end use parts with repeatable, reliable performance.

The F900 has the largest build chamber of any Stratasys FDM printer, providing the space needed to print large parts or multiples of smaller parts in a single build. It’s envelope measures 36 x 24 x 36 inches and has 18 cubic feet of build volume.

With its vast selection of polymer materials and workhorse reputation, the F900 is popular across industries and applications, and is a favourite among TriMech’s manufacturing experts.

Anne’s legacy of passion and dedication

As part of our update, we must acknowledge the sad news that Anne Innis Dagg passed away in April 2024 at the age of 91. Knowing this adds a bit of extra emotion to a visit to THEMUSEUM’s special exhibition, already filled with inspiration and moving experiences.

Laurel McKellar is THEMUSEUM’s Senior Director, Curation, Exhibitions & Program Development. She thanked TriMech for supporting the exhibition.

“We are so fortunate to have the skull and heart models to augment the exhibition content and contribute to guests gaining an understanding of these magnificent animals. The TriMech team was a pleasure to work with.”

The exhibit will be in Kitchener until at least January 2025. As of October 2024, THEMUSEUM was seeking potential host venues for the exhibition to go on tour across Ontario and even nationwide.

Enjoying “GIRAFFE | A Heightened Experience” Exhibit

To discuss your typical or not-so-typical 3D-printing project, connect with our Advanced Manufacturing Services team, who will help you through each stage of the production process.