#MBME | Hanz On

Nick Webb is a speaker and inventor who makes his living as a consultant for large companies on how to innovate and collaborate. In order to demonstrate the power of innovation, Nick used his MakerBot Replicator 2 to develop an educational toy set called Hanz™. The Hanz system consists of three components: a beam, a wheel and a connector piece called the “brain.” Nick prototyped all of them on a MakerBot Replicator 2, saving at least $50,000 and launching his product twice as quickly. The three basic Hanz components allow for unlimited possibilities to create, design and innovate. These innovations can be viewed on Hanztoys.com, which features a community that shares ideas. The idea of creating a product with both physical and digital aspects is important to Nick, who frequently mentions MakerBot and Thingiverse in his talks. Says Nick, “I travel around the world speaking on the subject of innovation and I believe that Thingiverse and the MakerBot are the perfect example of the future of all things.”