3DExpress: A Mini Camper Van 3D Printed From Recycled Bottles
This week, we’re taking you on a journey with a rather unusual trailer camper van designed in part by 3D printing. It’s compact and easily transportable, practical and functional, and made from over 7,000 recycled plastic bottles! We’ll also introduce you to Nike’s new sneakers, produced on the Zellerfeld printing platform. Finally, we take a look at a new filament brand which will be presented for the first time at Formnext 2024. Happy reading and have a great weekend!
A Mini Camper Van Made From 3D Printing and Recycled Bottles
While more and more holidaymakers are taking to the road in motorhomes or hooking their camper vans up to their cars to enjoy unique moments, the DISCOVER 3D concept is part of an even more nomadic approach. It’s a small, ultra-functional trailer camper van made in part by additive manufacturing. To be more precise, the project leaders used 7,500 recycled plastic bottles to design a structure weighing just 400 kilos. Easily transportable due to its dimensions, it integrates kitchen equipment, entertainment accessories and even a small sink. The company iScale3D appears to be behind the printing itself, carried out using a robotic arm. Discover the 3D printed trailer camper van in the video below:
3D Printed Anatomical Models of the Brain
A team of engineers from the University of Southampton has developed an innovative surgical planning process using anatomical replicas created by additive manufacturing. This approach, which combines advanced imaging, data processing and 3D printing, has proved essential for complex surgeries such as intracranial aneurysms. The project was led by neurosurgeons Professor Diederik Bulters and Dr. Orestis Katsamenis, who created a detailed 3D model of the aneurysm and surrounding bony structures using MRI and CT scans. The model was used to simulate surgery, providing an invaluable tactile reference for preoperative planning, particularly in the case of a giant 7 cm aneurysm, for which conventional surgery was not feasible. Thanks to this technology, the operation was a success, and the patient was discharged from hospital two days later.
Photo Credits: University of Southampton
New Filament Brand to Debut at Formnext 2024
With Formnext 2024 just around the corner, there has been a flurry of announcements from companies who will be launching new products at the show. This also includes the debut of new brands, such as in the case of The Filament. Developed by one of Europe’s largest filament manufacturers, Spectrum Group, The Filament is a new filament brand that has been designed for “3D printing users who value practicality, functionality and affordability” according to an official press release. The ‘no-frills’ range can be used by everyone from beginners to experienced makers with materials like PLA, PETG, PLA High Speed and pre-colored carbon-reinforced PLA and PETG. The brand uses Second Life Plastic spools and FSC-certified packaging to reduce plastic waste and filament starts at €15.90 for a 1kg PLA spool. The idea is to make high-quality 3D printing accessible without sacrificing performance.
Photo Credits: The Spectrum Group
A New 3D-Printed Sneaker for Nike
You’re probably all familiar with Nike’s iconic Air Max 1, a comfortable retro sneaker available in a wide range of colors. The sports equipment manufacturer has just announced a new version of this sneaker, the Air Max 1000, which features the special feature of being 3D printed! In collaboration with Zellerfeld, the American company aims to offer a customized, innovative and offbeat sneaker. Details of the shoe’s construction are sketchy, but Zellerfeld’s platform uses material deposition, opting for lattice structures to optimize performance. John Hoke, Chief Innovation Officer at Nike, concludes: “As an innovator, what’s most exciting to me about the Air Max 1000 are the new solutions we can achieve with next-level manufacturing. It’s control, times precision, times expression — all of which are vital to sport and to design. When those variables of control, precision, and expression are multiplied at once, the future of our product really does feel unlimited.”
Photo Credits: Nike
A 3D-Printed Wooden Pavilion
3D printing has once again been used to design an original, bespoke pavilion. Called The Warp, it is set amidst the buildings of Dubai and is inspired by Japanese culture. It is made up of 900 unique pieces, each one different. To create these pieces, the architects used 3D printing and a composite material. The latter is made from 30% recycled sawdust and 70% bioplastic – the designers explain that they wanted to produce a structure that was more environmentally friendly and generated less waste. By using additive manufacturing, they were also able to imagine curved parts, with shapes impossible to achieve otherwise, and free themselves from assembly constraints since no nails, connectors or glue were used.
Photo Credits: DUA Photography Studio
What do you think of the mini-caravan designed using 3D printing? Let us know in a comment below or on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel.
