3D printing ( also known as Additive Manufacturing(AM) ) is one of the exciting developments in the modern age. The technology mainly involves creating physical objects from their geometrical representation (3D model data) through successive addition of a material. The applications of 3D printing are increasingly growing, and the process now has applications in; agriculture, healthcare, automotive industry, locomotive industry and aviation industries. Today, 3D printing technologies are also available for the construction industry, and they are redefining several aspects of construction. In the following sections, we are going to look at the some of the applications of the 3D printing construction.
3D printing in Architecture
Architects have long sought to impress their clients with amazing artistic impressions and models. 3D printing is now a game changer which has created a way for clients to physically see and appreciate the vision of the Architect. With 3D printing, one can create beautiful miniature models of their projects as shown in the photo below. The models can be printed out of; ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) , nylon and resins.
3D printing buildings
3D printing technology has had major developments to the extent that it is possible to print an entire house. 3D printing as construction solution offers lower construction cost and reduced material waste as well as reduced construction time. 3D printing also has an advantage of constructing various design shapes which are not possible traditionally. As an example, Kamp C ( a Belgium Company) successfully constructed a house using a 3D printer (gantry printer) within 3 months with an actual printing time of 15 days. As shown in the video below, the construction of the house was done by pumping concrete via hoses through the extrusion head of the printer. The result of the process was a visually stunning house with special walls designed to avoid thermal bridges.
References
Allouzi, R., Al-Azhari, W., & Allouzi, R. (2020). Conventional Construction and 3D Printing: A Comparison Study on Material Cost in Jordan. Journal of Engineering, 2020, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/1424682
Duda, T., & Raghavan, L. V. (2016). 3D Metal Printing Technology. IFAC-PapersOnLine, 49(29), 103–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2016.11.111
Shahrubudin, N., Lee, T., & Ramlan, R. (2019). An Overview on 3D Printing Technology: Technological, Materials, and Applications. Procedia Manufacturing, 35, 1286–1296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2019.06.089
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