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.