Nissan has created what it claims to be the world's biggest 3D-printing pen sculpture. The Qashqai Black Edition model was created to celebrate the car's launch and contains 13.8 km (8.6 mi) of plastic strands.
The Black Edition is the latest guise of Nissan's Qashqai crossover, which first went into production ten years ago. As a full-size artistic rendering of the vehicle, the sculpture measures 4.4-m (14.4-ft) long and 1.6-m (5.2-ft) tall.
The car was "drawn" by a team of 3D pen artists using 3Doodler 3D pens, which heat solid plastic up to as much as 230° C (446° F) before extruding it through a nozzle with a 0.7-mm (0.03-in) wide tip. At this point, the plastic is malleable enough to bend, but firm enough to hold its shape. As it cools, it begins to set.
Led by artist Grace Du Prez, the team spent 800 hours over a three-week period creating the sculpture. "I've been drawing with 3Doodler's pens for a few years now, but this is by far and away my most ambitious commission to date," said Du Prez. "It demonstrates how far 3D printing technology has come and how it can be used by anyone."
The Black Edition is a limited release of the Qashqai, with just 3,360 units to be set loose across Europe. Among its special features will be 19-in black alloy wheels, signature Black Edition door sills and front and rear silver styling plates.
The video below shows the construction of the 3D-printed Qashqai Black Edition.
Source: Nissan