3D Printers in Construction: The Applications Are Getting Clearer

3D Printing Technology
08-06-2018 0
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3D printers in construction: their uses are getting clearer and delivering real results. Recently, new applications of 3D printers in construction have brought many benefits to people.

Livable 3D printed houses in the Netherlands:

Would you like to build homes that are safe, eco-friendly and cheaper using 3D printing?
3D printing is becoming an important technique across a wide range of industrial fields, from making liquid metal parts for spacecraft to modeling living tissue in the human body. We can already build complete houses with large, industrial-scale 3D printers, but they are not yet fit for long-term living. All of this needs to change.
A house built with 3D printing. Photo: Van Wijnen | 3D printers in construction
A house built with 3D printing. Photo: Van Wijnen
Van Wijnen, a Dutch construction company, is trying to build the world’s first 3D printed houses that are actually livable (meaning they can pass the required inspections), or at least that is what it claims. The future homes of the Project Milestone will be built near the city of Eindhoven.
Right now, a total of five houses are being built, each with its own unique shape and size, which shows how flexible this advanced technology is. The 3D printer is basically a giant concrete nozzle that moves along a two-axis track in the air, so architects can design houses in any shape they like. At the moment, the houses are printed in sections off-site and then moved to the building site. In the final phase of the project, the team hopes to go further by bringing the printer to the building site itself.
The result will be a new, more streamlined process, especially since traditional, bulky brick-and-mortar structures can take more than six months to finish. Simple assembly is not the only advantage 3D printing has over conventional building methods. The process also needs fewer workers, which cuts costs and accidents during construction to a minimum and reduces the impact on the environment.
Van Wijnen’s vision is that more projects around the world will use 3D printing technology to build homes with unique designs. ICON, a start-up in Austin, has developed a technique to print a 650 m2 house for only 10,000 USD, while another start-up in San Francisco is also planning to print a house in just 24 hours.
However, the technology behind 3D printed structures is still very new, and some of its advertised advantages may be exaggerated. Changes in cement-based materials also raise questions about the integrity of the structures and their impact on the environment. Could specially formulated cement mixes hurt air quality or biodegradability? More research is needed to prove that 3D printing really works.
Still, there is clearly a lot of excitement and cautious optimism behind this technology, and it is starting to influence conventional building methods. But that does not mean it can replace traditional construction right away. The day when 3D printing completely changes the way we build houses is still far off, at least in the near future. In the end, though, who wouldn’t want to build homes that are safe, eco-friendly and cheaper?
Nhat Pham (via Futurism)

>>> 3D printing corneas | Lasting life thanks to 3D technology.

A tiny 3D printed house that uses Tesla batteries and costs 250,000 USD

These compact homes made with 3D printing could be an eco-friendly housing solution in the future.

On the Monterey Peninsula, an eight-hour drive south of Silicon Valley, you can find a “young” housing community designed especially as a retreat for the tech crowd.

3D printers in construction: their uses are getting clearer and delivering real results. Recently, new applications of 3D printers in construction...

Walden Monterey was founded in 2016 by developer Nick Jekogian, who turned 609 acres into a coastal “agricultural” community. This has been a growing trend around the world in recent decades. Note that this model is very different from traditional golf course developments. Its design focuses on agriculture, farming and outdoor activities based on the natural conditions already there. The developer plans to build about 22 homes, many of them costing around 5 million USD (as of November 2017, three lots in the project had been sold). After buying in, owners can work with Jekogian’s team of more than 20 architects to build their home or add their own ideas. If they prefer, they can also hire outside builders. When people visit the project, Jekogian invites them to stay in “mobile rooms.” These are small, movable glass houses that let people experience what real life on the land is like. Now Walden Monterey has gone a step further by designing a home where potential buyers can stay while they think about whether to buy land in the project. It is a “self-sufficient” home made with 3D printing, which Walden Monterey calls the Galini Sleeping Pods. The home can be moved anywhere and is fitted with Tesla solar panels. A Galini Sleeping Pod will cost about 250,000 USD. Sayigh told Business Insider that the home is not only for the future Walden Monterey community but is also “next-generation building technology.” Let’s look at what makes this mobile home special:    
3D printers in construction: their uses are getting clearer and delivering real results.
The shell of the home was developed with the 3D printing technology being used for NASA’s Mars habitat projects. It is a strong material made of carbon fiber and recycled aluminum. The shell is built outdoors and can be shaped however the buyer likes. The main highlights of this home are its design and its idea of sustainable living. According to the developer, 97% of the material is used efficiently, which means only 3% is wasted during construction. Inside, the wood panels, recycled plastic used in the build, LED lighting, plumbing and mechanical systems all come from “green,” highly efficient materials. As a result, these homes will have very little impact on the local natural environment.
A condensation system pulls water from the air to supply the people living in the “pod” (the short name for this type of home) with water for daily use. Solar panels and wind turbines power the home, together with a lightweight battery from Tesla, Elon Musk’s energy company. Ideally, people would open the doors to let fresh air in, but Sayigh says a system under the shell can also heat or cool the space when needed. Sayigh said: “If Elon Musk comes and stays, you definitely want him to feel as comfortable as possible.” Sayigh said Walden Monterey’s future vision is to bring these special homes to Silicon Valley. In fact, these homes can be loaded onto the back of a truck and moved anywhere you want, and they could become eco-friendly solutions in the future.
Source: Business Insider

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Frequently asked questions

How does construction 3D printing work?

A construction 3D printer extrudes a special cement-based or concrete material layer by layer based on a digital model. The layers stack up to form walls and structures without traditional formwork.

Are 3D printed houses as durable as traditionally built houses?

Durability depends on the material, the structural design and whether rebar or other reinforcement is used. Many projects have met local building codes, but the technology is still being refined.

What is the biggest advantage of 3D printing in construction?

3D printing can create curved, complex shapes that are hard to make with traditional formwork, and it reduces material waste and labor for some tasks. Building the rough walls can also be faster.

How is 3D printing used in architecture in Vietnam today?

Common uses today are printing architectural models, site models, decorative detail samples and molds for precast components. These help architects present ideas clearly and check designs before construction.

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