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3D printed camper “The Wave” set to break world record for size

3D printed houses are always popular stories,  but now a unique project in Saskatoon, Canada, is starting a new trend.

This Thursday at 1pm EST, Wave of the Future 3D will be 3D printing an 13 foot long camper trailer. The full process will be broadcast live on Facebook, over 10 – 14 days, and is expected to break a world record for its size.

Randy Janes, founder of Wave of the Future 3D and former product specialist at an RV company, said, “I was introduced into 3D printing and I saw that this is one of the processes that can eliminate probably 95 to 100 per cent of the issues that people have with campers.”

Create Café 3D Printing Solutions Inc., a 3D printing workspace and coffeeshop, will be hosting the live 3D printing at its store. Commenting on Janes’ idea Dustin Maki, CEO and founder of Create Café, said,

“We believe any problem can be solved through 3D printing.”

Prototype miniature model of the Wave 3D printed camper. Photo by Adam MacVicar, Global News
Prototype miniature model of the Wave 3D printed camper. Photo by Adam MacVicar, Global News

Record breaking potential

The camper has been named The Wave. It will be 3D printed on custom-built, large-scale ErectorBot, tipped to be “the largest indoor 3D printer in North America and the only one in Canada.” The ErectorBot 3D printer, which is owned by Janes, has a build area of approximately 28 feet long, 7 feet wide and 7 feet tall. The plan is to 3D print the trailer entirely as a single piece using PETG plastic feedstock.

View inside the ErectorBot 3D printer. Photo by Create Café 3D Printing Solutions Inc.
View inside the ErectorBot 3D printer. Photo by Create Café 3D Printing Solutions Inc.

In an interview for Global News, Janes comments “It gives you a uni-body, which makes it the strongest trailer ever produced. There’s no seams, there’s no nails, there’s no screws, there’s no wood in the trailer whatsoever.”

Additionally, “This will be the biggest thing printed in [Create Cafe] and will be a world record.”

As a single piece, The Wave’s record breaking potential might be true. At 30 feet long Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL’s) 3D printed submarine hull is the largest 3D printed asset in the U.S. Navy – but it is assembled from 6 different parts.

ORNL also holds the previous Guinness World Record for its solid, 3D printed tool for a Boeing airplane wing. The ORNL tool is 17.5 feet long, 5.5 feet wide, and 1.5 feet tall, to have the space to accommodate people, The Wave will have to beat these specifications.

Collaboration

3D printing the Wave has been made possible by collaboration with Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Maki explains, “Through an applied research grant we collaborated on the development of custom, high-flow nozzles that push the boundaries of 3D-printing.”

Dr. Larry Rosia, Sask Polytech president and CEO, adds, “This leading edge applied research partnership creates unique learning opportunities for our students […] We have a great applied research relationship with Create Café, with countless synergies. This is another example of being able to learn from each other and share Sask Polytech’s expertise to support industry in solving every day, real-world problems.”

When complete, the Wave will weight around 600 pounds and has a life expectancy of 100 years. The unit will also be mobile, and able to be re-purposed for different uses such as an ice fishing hut.

A miniature model of the Wave 3D printed camper beside a nozzle and pelletized feedstock. Photo via Create Café
A miniature model of the Wave 3D printed camper beside a nozzle and pelletized feedstock. Photo via Create Café

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Featured image shows a digital plan of the Wave 3D printed camper. Image via Create Café