German Design Award 2025: pib robot wins!

Dr. Jürgen Baier (isento GmbH), Sebastian Glanzner und Dr. Shota Okujava (isento GmbH)
Copyright: isento GmbH

It’s official: the open source robot project pib (Printable Intelligent Bot) has been awarded the prestigious German Design Award 2025 – “Excellent Product Design” in the “AI in Product Design Processes” category. A great success in which I, Sebastian Glanzner, and my design office Glanzner Dynamics were able to play a key role.

Copyright: isento GmbH

My role in the pib project

I have been supporting the pib project on a voluntary basis for two years and contribute my expertise as a CAD designer. As the person responsible for the mechanical design of the printable components, my goal was to take the design of the pib robot to a new level – with a clear focus on optimal manufacturability for commercially available FDM 3D printers.

CAD modelling: Optimized free-form surfaces

One of my biggest projects within pib was the comprehensive improvement of the robot’s upper body. Starting with a specially created master model, I first defined precise profile sections and derived flowing, organic free-form surfaces from them. The result is an aesthetic and ergonomically appealing upper body that is also functionally impressive.

Improvements to the neck and integrated cable management

In addition to the upper body, my focus was on optimizing the neck and shoulder joints. Targeted design changes made it possible to route the cables for the neck and head inside the robot. This innovation not only increases accessibility and the aesthetic appearance, but also makes the pib robot safer and more user-friendly overall.

pib neck with new cable management

Practical and easy-to-install design

A key aspect of my CAD work was to make the assembly and maintenance of the robot as simple as possible. Each component is now clearly labeled and precisely designed to ensure intuitive and quick assembly. Small details such as integrated crush ribs for hexagon nuts and other 3D print-optimized press fits make assembly much easier.

pib as an ambassador for robotics, AI and 3D printing

What particularly drives me in my work is the vision behind the pib project: to give young people access to modern technology in a simple and inspiring way. pib brings topics such as robotics, artificial intelligence and 3D printing directly into the classroom – an inspiration for pupils to perhaps go down innovative paths themselves one day. Who knows, maybe a student who assembles and programs at pib today will found a new start-up in the field of humanoid robotics tomorrow?

pib Front with Logo

Proud to be part of a vibrant community

Winning the German Design Award 2025 confirms the success of our joint efforts. As part of this inspiring community, I look forward to continuing to develop creative solutions and innovative designs for pib and other exciting projects with my design office.

You can find more information about the pib project at pib.rocks. If you have any questions about customized CAD solutions and other engineering projects, please contact Glanzner Dynamics.

My Journey with pib: Empowering Robotics through Onshape

Introduction:

As a mechanical engineer with over 20 years of experience in CAD, I’ve always been passionate about creating and building innovative projects. Six months ago, I joined the open-source project pib (printable intelligent bot), initiated by isento GmbH. Pib is a 3D printable humanoid robot designed to make robotics accessible to everyone. In this blog post, I will share my experiences and contributions to the project.

Pib: An Open-Source Robotics Revolution:

Pib is a groundbreaking 3D printable humanoid robot that aims to engage people in the fields of robotics, 3D printing, and AI. The project’s website provides free 3D printing templates, assembly instructions, and a supportive community on Discord for collaboration and assistance.

My Contributions to pib:

  1. FeatureScript for Part Number Imprints and Metadata:
    I developed a FeatureScript in Onshape to imprint the part number on each component. This script also inputs other data, such as print settings, which are then stored in the metadata of each part.
  2. FeatureScript for Hexagonal Pockets and Crush Corners:
    I’m currently perfecting a FeatureScript that detects all hexagonal pockets in a part and adds small “crush corners” to the hexagonal profile. This feature eases the holding of M3 nuts and simplifies pib’s assembly process.
  3. Simulation for Flexible Press-Fits:
    Utilizing Onshape’s built-in simulation tools, I designed flexible press-fits for the 2×20 metal rods. This improvement facilitated printing small holes to hold the rods without damaging the 3D printed parts during assembly.
  4. Configurations for Part Visibility Control:
    I contributed to integrating configurations that control part visibility, allowing users to choose whether to display only the printed parts or also show metal parts and electronics.
FeatureScript for Part Number Imprints and Metadata:
FeatureScript für hexagonale Taschen und Quetschecken
Simulation for Flexible Press-Fits
Konfigurationen zur Steuerung der Teilesichtbarkeit

Pib@school: Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovators:

Pib@school is an educational initiative aimed at familiarizing students with robotics, 3D printing, and AI. This hands-on program introduces students to STEM topics and equips schools with packages for building and operating their own humanoid robots.

Join the pib Community:

If you’re interested in contributing to pib’s development or simply want to learn more about the project, join the pib community on Discord. Collaborate with like-minded individuals, share your ideas, and help shape the future of robotics.

Conclusion:

Pib is a pioneering project that leverages the power of Onshape to democratize robotics. As a mechanical engineer and a proud member of the pib community, I’m thrilled to be part of this journey and contribute to the development of the printable intelligent bot. Join us in building the future of robotics and exploring the potential of 3D printing and AI.

Onshape

Glanzner Dynamics successfully uses the classic CAD software Autodesk Inventor with over 10 years of experience.
But nothing is more constant than the change and therefore in the future
Onshape will be used as the primary CAD software.

Onshape is a full-fledged CAD software in the cloud. This brings a number of advantages for the designer and the customer.

  • No installation necessary
  • No more annoying files
  • Everyone always has the same version of the software
  • Automatic updates, no waiting time
  • Integrated drawing management with approval
  • Programming interface to create own features
  • No saving necessary
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