WinSun Engineering in China using a large 3D printer to make components for 10 houses, assembled in 24 hours.
The use of 3D printers in construction is a growing trend, one with accelerating potential to make big waves in the next few years. 3D printing has already emerged as the “next big thing” in manufacturing and design. As mentioned in a previous post, experts at Mekenzie Consulting say 3D printing is a disruptive technology that will soon have global economic and social effects.
Worldwide, future-oriented companies and individuals are pushing forward with various projects and demonstration platforms for 3D-printed buildings. The following projects have been generating headlines:
- Ten 3D-printed houses built in a day. A Chinese company, WinSun Engineering, produced 10 small “homes” in under 24 hours using a 30×20 foot custom-built 3D printer to produce components on site. WinSun thinks it can use similar methods to build skyscrapers someday.
- First 3-D printed estate started in New York. Noted architect/contractor Adam Kushner has started site preparation for a 4-bedroom, 2400 sq ft home and accompanying pool. He intends to use an Italian-designed 3D printer to automatically place rebar within the concrete.
- Amsterdam “3-D Canal House” under construction. Dutch firm Dus Architect has begun a 3-year demonstration project to form a 13-room, multi-story gabled canal house in Amsterdam. Molten plastic, reinforced by fibers, is extruded to form interior and exterior components. President Obama recently visited the project.
Obviously, the technology is still mostly in demonstration phase. There are inherent problems that still limit the use of 3D printing today:
- Scale. So far, building large structures has meant using large printers, possibly bigger than the building itself. This poses obvious problems for multi-story construction. However, methods using smaller printersare emerging.
- Fragile printers. Weather, wind and other environmental factors can disrupt the 3D extrusion process. To be practical, the machines and process will have to be more robust.
- Building codes. Municipal building codes were never written to anticipate the materials and methods used for 3D-printing. This can be changed, but will take time.
- Market acceptance. Homebuyers and clients will have to get used to the idea of having a home or building constructed in a radically new way.
Despite current limitations, however, its clear this technology will advance rapidly in coming years. As 3D printing becomes more common, it will fundamentally change architecture, design, building techniques, project management, job costing and all construction processes.
