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fliptop [soylentnews.org] writes:

The tiny animated duck [gizmodo.com] is a replica of a toy created by the company's founders:

On average, Lego produces about 20 billion plastic bricks and building elements every year, and most come from injection molding machines that are so precise that just 18 of every million parts [omegaplasticsgroup.co.uk] produced are rejected. It’s the secret to Lego’s enduring appeal and quality standards, but the approach also has its limits, which is why the company is starting to experiment with other manufacturing techniques [legohouse.com].

The process is fast, taking just 10 seconds to create a new Lego element, which allows Lego to churn them out by the millions. But creating those highly-accurate molds is a very expensive and time-consuming process, and before commissioning a new minifig or type of piece, Lego needs to know it will sell enough sets to justify the costs of developing the mold for it. It’s why new Lego building elements are few and far between and often a big deal, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way.

[...] Availability of the 3D printed element will be limited, and visitors wanting to purchase the unique souvenir will need to sign up in advance [legohouse.com] for the chance to spend 89 DKK—or about US $12—on one. On top of that, those who purchase the duck will be asked to complete a survey that asks questions about their experience with it, and how it compares to Lego elements manufactured using more traditional techniques.

Admittedly, I was more of an Erector Set [wikipedia.org] kinda kid back in the day, but that was way before Lego had all their specialized kits. Originally spotted on The Eponymous Pickle [blogspot.com].

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