From The Workbench: MK2 V2 Invixiball Prototype

From The Workbench All of our designs evolve through a series of prototype generations—MK1, MK2, MK3, and so on—each representing a distinct step in the process rather than a march toward a guaranteed release. For every iteration, we define a specific objective, observe how the physical object actually behaves once it exists, and let that response drive the next move. These MK units aren’t just precursors to a final product—they are complete, self-contained explorations, each capturing a moment where intent meets reality and the design reveals something new. Our "From The Workbench" releases are selected directly from this development stream—individual MK units that stand on their own as complete, working artifacts. They’re offered in extremely limited quantities and reflect the design exactly as it existed at that moment, with all of its strengths and unresolved edges intact. These are not finished products, but real pieces of the process, shared as-is. MK prototypes — development units, not production products Extremely limited and never remade Captures a real moment in the design’s evolution Imperfections reflect active engineering tradeoffs and iteration Sold as-is — no returns; final version may differ or never exist About the MK2 V2 Invixiball Prototype TD;DR: These will dent, they're not as bouncy, and they sound dull when they bounce. The MK2 V2 Invixiball prototype explores a geodesic lattice derived from a segmented icosphere, with triangle sizes tuned to tightly distribute link lengths and more evenly spread impact forces through the titanium structure. By shifting from rhombic cells to isosceles triangles, the lattice reduces members to near-ideal two-force elements, eliminating bending moments that we previously associated with plastic deformation in earlier versions. The intent was straightforward: increase structural efficiency and push the system toward a more linear load–displacement response, ideally failing cleanly rather than accumulating damage. In practice, the behavior diverged from that expectation in a revealing way. Instead of stiffening, the structure exhibited a distinctly Hertzian response—more akin to a hollow sphere than a rigid lattice. At low energies, impacts are clean and elastic, but as deformation increases, the structure localizes strain into dimples that “pop” through the lattice rather than propagating globally. This shows up as oscillations in the load–displacement curve, corresponding to successive rings of nodes buckling under compression. The result is a ball that sounds dull, bounces lower, but dissipates energy over a longer sequence of smaller rebounds. Physically, the MK3 is more resilient to fracture than its predecessor, but far more susceptible to permanent deformation. Where earlier versions tended to flatten under load, this one dimples—retaining localized damage from relatively modest impacts. It’s a technically rich object that reveals its mechanics directly through use, and it performs best when handled lightly. Under higher-energy interactions—throwing onto hard surfaces or compressive loading—it will dent. About the Invixiball Meet the Vixiv Invixiball®—a hollow titanium lattice ball engineered to bounce, roll, and mesmerize. Designed by Aaron Chow at Vixiv in Ohio, it’s a daily carry object born from structural optimization tools and antique geometry. The triangular lattice pattern is fabricated with direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) on titanium powder using a 400w 100 micron laser beam. Despite its Grade 5 titanium body, the Invixiball weighs about the same as a single U.S. quarter. That mass, paired with its elastic shell geometry, gives it a springy, responsive bounce that makes it feel alive in your hand—and dangerous to set down. This isn’t sculpture masquerading as play. It’s made to be used: flicked, dropped, bounced, or carried in a pocket every day. Three sizes are currently offered: 35 mm, 45 mm and 50 mm. The 35 mm just under the diameter of a ping pong ball. Seriously though: only bounce it on robust surfaces like concrete or asphalt. It’ll bounce on hardwood—but it’ll also leave tiny, perfect rhombic dents that never come out. This thing is made of aerospace-grade Ti-6Al-4V. Don’t let its size fool you. PLEASE READ BEFORE PURCHASE: It will hurt if you get hit. They come up, back, and down nearly as quick as you throw them...and they're made of metal that has been formed into a fine grate pattern that could likely double as a lemon zester with enough pressure. I once threw one as hard as I could at our concrete studio floor. It bounced off the floor, ricocheted off our 20' ceiling, and landed on the top of my head. Please be careful. Surface imperfections can result in slightly different return angles. While the lattice has a largely isotropic bending stiffness, very small variations will result in small bounce angle deviations. Geometry variation and surface imperfection are natural consequences of the laser sintering process used to create the titanium ball, so be ready for the ball to occasionally have a bit of a mind of its own from time to time. And while the surface may look rough when you get up close and personal, the bounce remains robust and satisfying. You’ll find notable differences between the MK III V2 Invixiball and the V1 Vixiv Invixiball. Mk III V2 has a triangular lattice pattern and sounds different when bounced on a hard surface. The smaller size has a more subtle "ting" on the floor than the V1 and the larger sizes of Mk III V2 have an even softer sound on impact.