3D printed trailer? We will see...

[David Tilston]

Yes, I have seen computer printed houses:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUdnrtnjT5Q

I am aware of the current capabilities. But when you are laying it down dot by 3D dot, it is slow. And no it is not "micro molding" since there is no mold. I'd say 3D printing is as accurate a name as possible.

Most of the older trailers were made with a chopper gun. All of my Trilliums were. Many still are. The volume of material flowing out of a chopper gun is currently much more then a 3D printer. Though I am sure that will eventually change.

Change is always risky. One day, soon, computers will be as smart as a person, for a very short time. Then they will make us look stupid. When computers do everything better then us, what use do we have? Pets? You might not be missing much fun.

[stevebaz]

The thing with 3D printing is it is all scale-able. Get big heaters and pumps and instead of feeding a few thousandths per layer at a time, think of a big 1/4 inch nozzle pumping a pound of material a minute. There is also the capability of adding multiple nozzles following each other. It gets really creative when you look at life time of use. We like our trailers but it is rare that we keep them for extremely long periods of time. We keep the for 10 or 15 years and sell them off to someone else. So if the molded plastic wont last 20 years exposed to sunlight it lasts 10 then chop it up and recycle it, blend it into new stock and inject another trailer or a cooler or a bike helmet. While it may take longer to produce a printed shell there is no building crew that you are paying expensive labor for to make the basic shell. employees are not being exposed to very harsh chemicals and other nasty stuff.

For a good look at 3D printing in its beginning stages check out: https://www.shapeways.com/

Just think what may be possible 10 or 20 years from now.

[wilyoung]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

Yes, I have seen computer printed houses:

I am aware of the current capabilities. But when you are laying it down dot by 3D dot, it is slow. And no it is not "micro molding" since there is no mold. I'd say 3D printing is as accurate a name as possible.

Most of the older trailers were made with a chopper gun. All of my Trilliums were. Many still are. The volume of material flowing out of a chopper gun is currently much more then a 3D printer. Though I am sure that will eventually change.

Change is always risky. One day, soon, computers will be as smart as a person, for a very short time. Then they will make us look stupid. When computers do everything better then us, what use do we have? Pets? You might not be missing much fun.

Wow. Hadn't seen anything like that before. And the sporty car in one of the videos in the follow-on.

That's not "laying it down dot by 3D dot". And I wouldn't call it slow.

I used the wrong term for welding. It should have been "casting" instead of "molding." I haven't done any for a long time. But basically for butt welding you lay the two plates down end-to-end, then melt a little pool at one small spot in the joint. So you have a small pool of molten metal "cast" in a surrounding "mold" of the solid metal around it. Then you just move the "mold" and molten pool along the joint.

At any rate, it looked like that house builder had a nozzle with flat sides on it that formed it as it went along. Could be thought of as a moving mold that shapes the material as it is moves along. Note also that they make a point of the fact that don't mold the parts and bring them to site for assembly. they bring the "printer" to the site and build the home as one continuous stream of whatever the "goo" is that they use.

So they are already doing what I thought would be in the future. The future is now.

Thanx for showing that.

[Carl V]

https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1323053

[David Tilston]

I watched Carl's video. Man is that printer slow. They say at the end that they will speed it up three times. That would still be way slow. But, as was said, this is a starting point.

BTW: Casting still uses a mold. Think cast iron fry pan. In my opinion, the closest process to what Wil is thinking of is an aluminum spool gun MIG welder. You can just build up layer after layer of material. But I am no welder.

[CindyL]

You can watch it livestreamed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xawf...ature=youtu.be

Fascinating. A melded trailer as opposed to a molded trailer.

CindyL

[wilyoung]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

I watched Carl's video. Man is that printer slow. They say at the end that they will speed it up three times. That would still be way slow. But, as was said, this is a starting point.

BTW: Casting still uses a mold. Think cast iron fry pan. In my opinion, the closest process to what Wil is thinking of is an aluminum spool gun MIG welder. You can just build up layer after layer of material. But I am no welder.

Well, I did learn welding many years ago and whether you are (were) using gas or electric, at least at that time, it was described as a form of micro casting. No, it was not casting frying pans. It was casting a line of molten metal along a line between two other pieces of metal. The molten metal was not created separately and poured in the mold. The molten metal and "mold' were created simultaneously by either the flame or arc. As you moved along the seam the pool and "mold" moved with the heat and the "pour" solidified behind the moving molding process. Not too hard to visualize if you think about it.

Yes, the process used by the trailer printers is somewhat slow. But watch the video of the house printers. They are laying down a squarish line of "stuff" that looks to be 2 or 3 or more inches square in cross section and moving right along. They build a house, albeit small, in one day and on site with a portable "printing" machine..

[Hazel in Sk]

3D printing is becoming VERY interesting. Check this news item!


Alberta girl's printed plastic purple hand is perfect for high-fives - Calgary - CBC News

[CindyL]

Looks like they are working on the roof now. It will be interesting to see what happens when the printing is done, i.e. adding the door.

CindyL

[CindyL]

It is done. Congrats, Canadians!

CindyL

[k0wtz]

35 years ago I started a business with 2k inventory items, 1k customers with many many invoices. I started with a kaypro computer with a 20meg hard drive inside it.

I built the business to almost a million using that thing then I found another brand with a 40meg hard drive and it had 3 users. it was heaven!

now my little tablet can do all this.

nothing surprises me today!!

bob

[Defenestrator]

Originally Posted by k0wtz

35 years ago I started a business with 2k inventory items, 1k customers with many many invoices. I started with a kaypro computer with a 20meg hard drive inside it.

I built the business to almost a million using that thing then I found another brand with a 40meg hard drive and it had 3 users. it was heaven!

now my little tablet can do all this.

nothing surprises me today!!

bob

The crazy thing is, your tablet (or phone) isn't just a match for that old kaypro computer. It's far, far more capable. Even a smartwatch puts it to shame.

[k0wtz]

Elliot this is amazing isn't it? I remember when McDonald aircraft invented the first I/c put that thing under a microscope and talk about amazing? it changed everything in electronics made all things tiny in circuits.


if you looked you would see complete circuits using resistors, capacitors and bunch of other things all almost pin dot size!


We aint seen nothing yet folks!! the next generation is going to see far more amazing things!


bob

[Donna D.]

Check it out, a walk through: https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/video?c...ource=facebook

[Tom 72]

Thank you Donna, yours are some of the best posts here. They said it took 9 1/2 days (to print). I see that as among the least of their concerns. Ask Robert Johans, creator of The Nest, Caravan, due soon from Airstream. He had 30 years experience, with a handful I think on the Nest. As important as the product, is financing it and marketing it. He hopes to have an offering by year end. Good luck. Still, it is certainly something I would consider.

They may be the first to offer optional ice fishing holes in the floor. Good niche.

I may be a little too modest for the frosted translucent version at night. Anyone remember silhouettes in tents? Note, a pigment in the plastic should solve that. An interior liner or insulation would as well.

He has a long way to go, but I think he has potential. Many of the sub-assemblies to complete a trailer already exist: appliances, lighting, cabinets, frames, plumbing, electrical.

[Hazel in Sk]

I would be happy to 'test drive' an early model and supply feedback and reviews. Could even collect it before heading to the lake.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Tom 72

Thank you Donna, yours are some of the best posts here. They said it took 9 1/2 days (to print)..

so a production volume of 40 shells/year per mondo big 3D printer.

[Donna D.]

Oh my STARS. I'm going to get to see it, in person!! Check this out, Ian posted this in the 50th Boler Event and Caravan Facebook group.

[k0wtz]

I forsee a huge printer capable of running far more of these after all we are all buying into elan musks stuff!


bob

[Tom 72]

Donna please take a few minutes to set him straight as to what will work.

A full report would also be nice.

Yes, pictures.

Thank you.