Cross Industry Dynamics Prints 8.5-Foot Dragon for Dire Wolf

Colorado-based Cross Industry Dynamics (CID) teamed up with Dire Wolf Digital to create an 8.5-foot-tall dragon sculpture for a recent gaming trade show, using Caracol's Heron AM platform for large-format additive manufacturing.

The dragon, measuring 1653 x 2895 x 1402 mm when assembled, was the centerpiece of Dire Wolf Digital's booth. Dire Wolf is known for tabletop and digital board games, including CLANK!, and wanted to bring the game's dragon to life for the event.

Part of the challenge was converting a 3D model designed for a rendering engine into something printable. CID had to lock the scale, set the print orientation, and segment the dragon into six large pieces for transport and assembly. More fragile details like the horns were printed separately to ensure safe packing.

Printing used a 30% glass fiber reinforced PETG on Caracol's HV robotic extruder. All six segments were printed in just 24 hours, then filled with ultra-dense marine foam for structural support. Metal dowels facilitated assembly and takedown.

The project demonstrated significant advantages over traditional mold making or hand sculpting: a 55% reduction in lead time, a 40% reduction in production cost, and a 60% weight reduction thanks to the foam-cored construction.