Playfield Construction

I spent almost half a year designing different playfield construction types. Why not just wood? Well the call of innovation I suppose, plus a distaste for woodwork, and a desire to create sturdy, precisely located playfield components. After significant agonising over the pros and cons I produced a list of methods:

1. Traditional wood and router - yuk
2. 3D print the whole thing - lots printer mods required
3. 3D print in sections - needs a steel frame
4. 3D print embed-able plates for important features, top lanes, inserts

Option 4 was looking good

• Minimised routing.
• No inserts required (they get printed).
• Accurate positioning of elements.
• Easily swapable plates for new designs / repairs.

The Featured Image shows this option's design - you can see the routing plate (to help make the hole), the cap that holds the insert lamps in place, the actual plate that inserts into the playfield, the Serpent Lanes that attach to the top of the plate, and a ball for size.

Then came Pinfest 2026.

I had a chat with KRESS ElectriX, specifically about playfield surfaces, I was leaning toward resin as the Art Department is very skilled in that area, but I was persuaded that a flexible polycarbonate sheet carefully floated above the playfield offered a far-less-effort option.

After a lot of consideration and Discussion with the Art Department we determined to use polycarbonate sheet in the first instance, because easy is good, and it does not preclude option 4 in the future if needed.

The KRESS ElectriX, Coca Cola pinball machine uses this technique, and is very presentable.

So option 1. (yuk) seems in my future...