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They may not be TuPaul and tieta 3D printed toucan beak copy

When designer Gustavo Cleinman contacted us on Facebook with tieta and tupaul without 3D printed toucan beak

Tieta on the left (via Gustavo), TuPaul on the right (via TuPaul 3D printed toucan beak CAD model

TuPaul’s beak, in CAD-form. Image via TuPaul 3D printed toucan beak pairs

TuPaul’s beak, 3D printed in PLA. TuPaul 3D printed toucan beak in surgery

TuPaul 3D printed toucan beak

TuPaul, post-transplant. tieta 3D printed beak toucan 3D scan

tieta 3D printed beak toucan 3D model

tieta 3D printed toucan beak ABS

Tieta’s ABS beak. tieta 3D printed beak toucan surgery

Image via BBC.

Gustavo tells me that this all took place without even knowing that a similar story was taking place just 412 km away. “Their surgery happened two days before ours. Incredibly they happened at the same time, but we did not know about each other.”

Projeto Tucano Posted by MateriaBrasil on Tuesday, August 11, 2015

I’m not sure which is more fascinating, that two toucans have been aided so greatly with 3D printing or that two teams of passionate people were able to come to the rescue of their defenseless, feathered friends. Though I hope that no future toucans must suffer the same trauma as this one, I’m happy knowing that there are more and more stories like this, in which dedicated volunteers can find novel solutions for one-of-a-kind creatures.