Some builds start as an idea. This one started as a childhood obsession.
Ever since I first saw the Proton Cannon in Marvel vs Capcom, I’ve wanted to see it in real life — not as a prop, but as a massive, functional-looking replica that you could actually stand next to and feel that “charge-up” energy.

So I decided to make it happen. A 2-meter-tall Proton Cannon, entirely 3D-printed, designed in SOLIDWORKS, and built to look and feel like something Iron Man himself could deploy.

🧠 The Concept: From Game Screen to Real-World Engineering

The Proton Cannon isn’t just big — it’s iconic.
To get the proportions right, I spent hours studying game references, artwork, and cinematic angles to recreate the same visual weight and geometry.

My main design goal: make it massive, but manageable.
That meant designing a hollow internal structure with reinforcing rings to keep it lightweight, strong, and ready for lighting effects.

Using SOLIDWORKS, I split the design into modular parts — everything from the barrel segments to the energy chamber — each printable on a standard-size 3D printer and easily assembled into one huge unit.

💻 Designing in SOLIDWORKS: Building the Beast

Working in SOLIDWORKS gave me the precision I needed to pull this off.
At two meters tall, even a millimeter of misalignment can throw off the symmetry, so I used reference planes, alignment guides, and modular joints throughout the model.

The core was built as a series of hollow shells, each supported by internal rings. These rings do double duty:

They add strength and rigidity to the structure,
and they serve as assembly sections to separate the cannon into two parts for transport

This setup also means the entire cannon can be disassembled for transport, which is pretty crucial when your “prop” is taller than most doorways.

🧩 Printing & Assembly: Scaling Up with Precision

For a project this size, 3D printing was both the challenge and the solution.
I printed all major sections in PLA, using a mix of Bambu Lab X1 Carbon and Prusa i3 MK3S+ printers to handle the large volume efficiently.

Each segment was printed with:

Layer height: 0.2 mm
Infill: 15–20% gyroid, light but solid
Wall thickness: 3–4 perimeters for structural stability

Once printed, I sanded, primed, and joined the pieces using alignment pins designed directly into the CAD model. The result was seamless — a clean fit that kept the final cannon perfectly straight even at full height.

💡 Lighting the Core

No Proton Cannon would be complete without that glowing energy pulse.
Inside the shell, I installed LED strips along the internal ring supports.

Because the internal structure is modular, the electronics can be accessed easily for maintenance or upgrades — something I always plan for when building large, illuminated props.

🔍 What I Learned

Large-scale prints demand planning. Breaking the model into smart sections is everything.
Internal rings = strength. A simple design trick that pays off in structure and aesthetics.
SOLIDWORKS’ parametric precision makes massive builds possible — every part connects exactly as intended.
Lighting design matters. Even the most impressive model can look flat without good illumination.

🧠 Final Thoughts

This Proton Cannon was easily one of the most ambitious 3D builds I’ve tackled so far — not just because of its size, but because it demanded real engineering discipline to make it practical.

From digital model to physical assembly, this project proves how far you can push 3D printing when you combine CAD design, creativity, and maker determination.

It doesn’t fire plasma (yet 😏), but when it lights up and hums to life, it feels every bit as powerful as the original.

Massive thanks to SOLIDWORKS, Bambu Lab, and Prusa Printers for the tools that make these builds possible — and to every maker out there turning digital dreams into tangible projects.

💥 I Built the Marvel vs Capcom Proton Cannon — Two Meters of 3D-Printed Power