# Toy-Building Toys The Crossbeams Toy Can Be Used to Design and Build Original Toys By Rahul Kalvapalle | Published 2015-05-12 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crossbeams References: [gizmag](http://www.gizmag.com/crossbeams-building-toy/37419/) & [crossbeamstoy](https://crossbeamstoy.com/static/index.html) Crossbeams is a toy, developed by electrical engineer Charles Sharman's company Seven:Twelve Engineering, that can itself be used to design and put together a wide variety of toys including complicated toy cars and helicopters. The Crossbeams are essentially small tube-shaped bits of plastic, some of which are curved or bent at one end while others are straight. These pieces join together in two steps -- first with a regular male/female connection in which one piece slots into the other, and then with a twistable ring that secures the joints against stress. In addition to being a toy creator, Crossbeams can also be used to create usable household objects such as trash cans, bookshelves and more, and is sure to encourage creativity in design. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.7/10 - Popularity: 37% | Activity: 36% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Alpha, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/games) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Modular Toy Design:** The trend of modular toy design allows for endless possibilities in creating unique and customizable toys. - **3D Printed Toys:** The rise of 3D printing technology in the toy industry opens up opportunities for personalized and on-demand toy manufacturing. - **STEM Toy Innovation:** The trend of creating STEM-focused toys, like Crossbeams, promotes learning through play and fosters innovation in engineering and design skills. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Toy Manufacturing:** The toy manufacturing industry can capitalize on the trend of modular toy design by developing new product lines that offer creative building options for children of all ages. - **3D Printing:** The 3D printing industry can explore partnerships with toy companies to provide customized and printable toy designs, revolutionizing traditional toy manufacturing processes. - **Education:** The education industry can integrate STEM-focused toys, such as Crossbeams, into learning environments to enhance hands-on learning experiences and encourage innovation. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Combination Building Block Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/omnicompatible-wooden-bricks.md) - [Life-Sized Toy Construction Sets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/funphix.md) - [Geometric Design Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-little-toy-by-eames-office.md) - [Creative STEM-Based Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jitterygit.md) - [Magnetic 3D Building Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/magnetic-building-kit.md) - [DIY Robotics Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/windbots.md) - [Structure Building Cards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/house-of-cards-building-kit.md) - [Innovative Toy Creations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kinetic-building-system.md) - [Dream-Inspired Building Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lego-dreamzzz.md)