Next time you’re caught short at the station, your call of nature could be answered by a 3D-printed toilet.
As seasoned travellers will know, many smaller UK stations don’t have toilets. To address this, a combination of Changemaker 3D, architect Baily Garner and concrete printing specialist CyBe Construction has led to the development of the 3D-printed toilet pod.
The pods consist of three separate, modular wall elements, all of which can be printed in under five hours, emitting 60% less carbon than steel alternatives, the developers claim. The toilet roof incorporates solar panels.
The toilet pod was printed by CyBe using its robot crawler. This mobile 3D printer, fitted with caterpillar tracks, can be transported to virtually any location on any terrain. Thus it can be used for onsite and offsite printing.
The prototype was unveiled and tested earlier this year at the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation, a not-for-profit R&D organisation.
Natalie Wadley, co-founder and chief executive of ChangeMaker 3D, said: “We’re well on our way now to demonstrate the value the [3D printing] technology can have across UK industries. We want to see that this becomes as commonplace as having a digger or a forklift.”
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