Students from the Basque Country and Sweden recently joined forces in an international skills project that combined digital design, creativity and intercultural collaboration. Hosted in Finspång, Sweden, the activity brought together students for a three-day challenge to design and manufacture artistic miniature cannons using advanced digital tools.
Working in international teams, students used Siemens NX CAD software to produce their designs for 3D printing on Bambu Lab printers. The cannon was chosen as the design object due to its historical link to Finspång, where industrial production began centuries ago with cannon manufacturing.
Rather than replicating historical weapons, students were encouraged to reinterpret the object as a creative artistic piece, combining historical inspiration with modern digital design. The project also highlighted sustainable thinking in additive manufacturing, challenging students to minimise material usage and reduce or avoid support material during the printing process.
The programme began with introductions, icebreakers and a tour of the host school, followed by a traditional Swedish fika. Students then worked in four international teams to brainstorm ideas and begin designing their projects. The first day concluded with a team-building activity: curling, a new and fun experience for many participants.
On the second day, teams continued refining their designs and started the 3D printing production process. The final day culminated in presentations to a jury, where students pitched their projects and explained their creative concepts and design process.
The jury evaluated the projects based on creativity, aesthetics, design process and material efficiency. The winning design featured an artistic cannon decorated with flowers, accompanied by a powerful message from the students:
“With everything going on in the world right now, we wish that all cannons and weapons would shoot flowers and peace.”
Beyond technical skills in CAD, additive manufacturing and design, the project helped students strengthen teamwork, creativity and intercultural communication, demonstrating the value of international collaboration in vocational education and training.