Download pdf of rules

3D PRINTING GRAND CHALLENGE - Click here to return to the entry page.

OFFICIAL RULES

No entry fee or payment necessary to enter or win. Subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

The 3D Printing Grand Challenge (the “Challenge”) is a skills-based competition in which participants are asked to submit short papers outlining innovative ideas and applications of additive manufacturing techniques that contribute significantly towards environmental sustainability and energy efficiency (“Papers”). All Papers are to be submitted for consideration based on the criteria listed in Section 5 (“Judging Criteria”) below.

Please read these rules (the “Official Challenge Rules”) before entering the Challenge. By entering the Challenge, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and represent that you satisfy all of the eligibility requirements set forth herein.

1.SPONSOR

Elsevier B.V., Radarweg 29, 1043NX Amsterdam, the Netherlands

2.ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must be twenty-one (21) years of age or older at the time of entry to enter the Challenge. Applicants may participate as (i) individuals, (ii) teams of individuals, or (iii) individually or in teams on behalf of an organization, i.e. an educational or not-for-profit institution or a corporation (the latter category, collectively “Organizations”). Submission of Paper on behalf of a group of individuals or an Organization shall constitute a representation by the individual submitting the Paper that he/she is authorized to represent the team to submit the Paper and distribute any prize money. Directors, officers and employees (and their immediate families and household members) of Sponsor and its affiliates and their respective advertising and promotion agencies are not eligible to enter the Challenge. The 3D Printing Grand Challenge is subject to applicable laws of an applicant’s jurisdiction. The Sponsor is not responsible for any other eligibility prohibitions, including, without limitation, any established by applicant’s employer; applicants are encouraged to seek information on any such restrictions prior to submission of a Paper. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

3.WHEN & HOW TO ENTER

Papers may be submitted between 0:01 on November 1st, 2016 and 23:59 on January 31, 2017 (the “Challenge Period”).  Sponsor’s server is the official clock for this Challenge.  Important dates are as follows:

  • Abstract Submissions open from 15th October 2016 – 31st January 2017.
  • Full paper Submissions open from 1st November 2016 – 15th March 2017.
  • Semi-finalists announced on 15th April 2017.
  • Winners announced 15th May 2017.

To initiate the submission process, participants must follow the instructions on the Challenge website at www.materialstoday.com/3d-printing-grand-challenge (“Challenge Site”) and initially submit only title and abstract of their Paper via the submission link on the Challenge Site. Participants whose abstract is approved, will receive a link to the online application webpage, in order to submit their full Paper.

Papers that are (i) submitted in any manner other than as specified; (ii) submitted before or after the Challenge Period; or (iii) incomplete, defective, forged, or irregular in any way or not in compliance with these Official Rules will be disqualified. Participants’ proof of submission does not constitute proof of receipt by Sponsor. Papers will be acknowledged as received but will not be returned.

4.PAPERS REQUIREMENTS

Each Paper must comply with the following requirements (“Paper Requirements”):

  • All papers must be in English;
  • Papers must be on any subject related to the Challenge
  • Papers may not be longer than 4 pages, including title, Abstract, a short Introduction, Methods, Results/discussion sections.
  • Papers must be the original work of and created solely by the participant submitting such Paper or, in the case of Papers submitted by a team, by members of the team participating in the Challenge;
  • Modifying, enhancing, or altering a third-party's pre-existing work does not constitute an original work;
  • Papers shall not: (i) violate the intellectual property rights (copyright, patent, trademark, etc.) of any third party; (ii) defame or invade the publicity or privacy rights of any person, living or deceased; or (iii) otherwise infringe upon any person's or entity's personal or proprietary rights;
  • Each participant must have a non-restricted right to submit the  Paper for consideration;
  • Any participant whose Paper includes elements not owned by the participant (including, but not limited to, third-party trademarks and logos) must be able to provide legal releases for such use in a form satisfactory to the Sponsor; and
  • Papers must set a benchmark for innovation.
  • Sponsor reserves the right to exclude or disqualify any Paper which does not meet, or may not meet, these requirements, as determined in Sponsor’s sole discretion.

5.JUDGING CRITERIA

The Challenge is open to individuals or Organizations as set in section 2 “Eligibility”. Papers can be in any field where additive manufacturing / 3D printing techniques are applicable. Papers will be peer-reviewed against the following Judging Criteria (“Judging Criteria”):

  • Adequately meet current sustainable manufacturing practices, procedures, and definitions;
  • Be replicable, scalable, and sustainable and set a benchmark for innovation.
  • Address issues such as energy or resources efficiency based on the current status.
  • Have practical applicability and/or include an implementation plan.
  • Demonstrate cost-effectiveness, break-even analyses and life-cycle assessments, and offer a critical comparison to conventional manufacturing practices with clear data to support the same.
  • Have one of the following objectives:
    • Provide a more sustainable method for using resources, through the modeling, design, manufactured demonstration of a final product;
    • Reduce or eliminate the use or generation of one or more hazardous substance or material;
    • Provide increased reuse, repair or recyclability;
    • Present a new business model fitting into the criteria of environmental sustainability and energy efficiency.

.

6.SELECTION OF SEMI-FINALISTS

Papers will be peer-reviewed against the Judging Criteria set by the Challenge advisory group comprised of external specialists and relevant internal colleagues. The advisory group will reduce the Papers received to a shortlist of semi-finalists, whose Papers will be published on Materials Today Communications. The shortlist will be announced by 15 April 2017.

Shortlisted candidates will be given the opportunity to further refine their work in an expanded paper for further consideration for publication in one of the following sponsoring journals:

7.SELECTION OF WINNERS AND NOTIFICATION

Two (2) winners (comprised of one (1) first place prize winner, and one (1) innovation award winner) will be selected from the semi-finalists list pursuant to the Judging Criteria. Decisions of the panel will be final and binding in all respects. This is a contest of skill. Your odds of winning depend on how well your Paper compares with the others submitted in the Challenge pursuant to the Judging Criteria. Winners will be announced on the Challenge website by May 15 2017.

8.PRIZES AND AWARDS

Two prizes will be awarded (total estimated value of all prizes is $25,000) as follows: (i) a first prize in the amount of $15,000 (Fifteen Thousand US Dollars), (ii) an Innovation prize in the amount of $10,000 (Ten Thousand US Dollars),. Each winner will be required to execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and/or a Release of Liability/Publicity Release within fourteen (14) days of notification in order to claim prize. If a notification is returned as undeliverable, or if a potential winner fails to return the signed documentation within the required time, is not eligible, or has otherwise not complied with these Official Rules, then that potential winner will be disqualified and an alternate winner will be selected and notified in accordance with these Official Rules.

9.RIGHT TO USE

By entering the Challenge, participants grant the Sponsor and its affiliates, the rights, without limitation or further permission or compensation, to: (i) use and publish their name and likeness; and (ii) use, reproduce, publish, display and distribute the Papers, including via a website. Winners’ full names, institutions, and city and state/province/country of residence and their Papers will be announced and, with their photograph, and may be featured on the Challenge Site and websites of the Sponsor and its affiliates. By accepting a prize, winners grant the Sponsor and its affiliates, the additional rights, without limitation or further permission or compensation, to use and publish their photograph in conjunction with their credited name. Rights granted by participants and winners are for advertising, publicity and promotional purposes and are in perpetuity and in any medium the Sponsor sees fit, including, but not limited to, website, television, radio, or printed materials.

By submitting a Paper, each participant grants the Sponsor and the judges an unrestricted right to use, review, assess, test, and otherwise analyze their Paper and all of their content in connection with the Challenge. Participants agree not to instigate, support, maintain or authorize any action, or lawsuit against the Sponsor on the ground that any use of Paper materials infringes any of the participants’ rights as creators of the Paper materials.

Participants acknowledge that the Sponsor may currently, or in the future, be developing internally, or receiving from a third-party, information or Papers similar to those submitted by participants. Nothing contained in these Official Rules will be construed as a representation or agreement that the Sponsor will not develop or have developed products, concepts, systems, or techniques that are similar to or that compete with the products, concepts, systems, or techniques contemplated by or embodied in any of the entry materials. Further, the Sponsor shall be free to use for any purpose the residuals resulting from access to work with Papers. The term ”residuals” means information in intangible form, which is retained in memory by persons who have had access to the Papers, including ideas, concepts, know-how, or techniques contained therein. The Sponsor shall have no obligation to limit or restrict the assignment of such persons or to pay royalties for any work resulting from the use of residuals. Nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed to grant Sponsor a license under the participants’ intellectual property rights.

10.USE OF INFORMATION

None of the information, including Papers, submitted by participants will be treated as confidential, so please do not submit proprietary information. Participants further agree that personally identifiable information may be processed, stored, and otherwise used for the purposes of the Challenge, including, but not limited to, checking participant's identity, postal address, and telephone number, or to otherwise verify eligibility to participate.

11.RELEASE

BY ENTERING THE CHALLENGE, PARTICIPANTS SHALL RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS SPONSOR, ITS PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, AGENTS, PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS, ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL AGENCIES, ANDDIRECTORS, OFFICERS, AND EMPLOYEES THEREOF, FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, INJURIES, LOSS, DAMAGE, EXPENSES, OR LIABILITIES OF ANY KIND ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE CHALLENGE, PARTICIPANTS’ PARTICIPATION IN THE CHALLENGE, ACTS OR OMISSIONS OF ANY THIRD PARTIES (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THIRD PARTIES WHICH PROVIDE HOSTING SERVICES FOR THE CHALLENGE), OR DELIVERY, MISDELIVERY, ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, AND USE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE, ANY PRIZE, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. IN NO EVENT WILL THE SPONSOR BE LIABLE TO A PARTICIPANT FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF, OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE CHALLENGE, WHETHER OR NOT SPONSOR HAS BEEN ADVISED, HAD REASON TO KNOW, OR IN FACT KNEW OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

12.GOVERNING LAW AND VENUE

All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and Sponsor in connection with the Competition, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Netherlands. Any dispute relating to their interpretation or execution that cannot be settled amicably must be brought before the competent courts in the Netherlands

13.LIMITATION OF LIABILITY/RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

Neither Sponsor, its parent, subsidiary or affiliated companies, nor its advertising or promotional agencies shall have any obligation, liability or responsibility for (1) telephone, electronic, hardware, software, network, Internet, or computer malfunctions, failures, or difficulties of any kind; (2) any condition caused by events beyond the control of Sponsor that may cause the Promotion to be disrupted; (3) any printing or typographical errors in these Official Rules or any other materials associated with the Promotion; (4) entries that contain incorrect or inaccurate information or do not comply with these Official Rules; or (5) entries, prize claims or notifications that are lost, late, incomplete, illegible, unintelligible, damaged or otherwise not received by the intended recipient, in whole or in part. If for any reason, the Challenge is not capable of being run as planned, the Sponsor and the judges reserves the right in its sole discretion to change these Official Rules and to modify, suspend, cancel or terminate the Challenge. If the Challenge is terminated early, the Sponsor may select winners based on the Papers received prior to the termination date.

14.RULES

Participants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor and judges in regards to the Challenge. Any participant found to be acting in violation of these Official Rules may be disqualified in the Sponsor’s sole discretion.

15.TAXES

 For US applicants, a 1099-MISC will be issued to each winner. Other jurisdictions may have similar requirements and each winner is solely responsible for taxes on the prize received and should consult a tax professional to determine his or her tax liability. The Sponsor is not allowed to give tax advice.

16.WINNERS’ LIST

 For the names of the winners, please visit www.materialstoday.com/elsevier-3d-printing-grand-challenge or email stjnlsemarketing@elsevier.com through June 30, 2017.