How 3D Printing Can Help in Construction
3D printing technology has been advancing over the years. According to Fortune Business Insights™, The global 3D printing materials market size was USD 1.53 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 3.78 billion by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 12.1% during the forecast period. There are many industries being improved by 3D printing and building and construction is not an exception. 3D printing is changing the future of the construction industry with innovative designs and remarkable possibilities. Not too long ago, 3D printing technology could only generate small plastic models in tabletop printers. Today, 3D printers are capable of constructing entire buildings in days, reducing costs, and increasing sustainability around the world. 3D printing also presents a solution to the biggest challenges in the construction industry today: the labor shortage and the demand surge. These advantages are driving the 3D printing construction revolution. From affordable new buildings to next-generation construction, 3D printing is changing architecture forever.
3D Printing Aiding in Fast, Affordable Building
One of the most valuable benefits of 3D printing in construction is the sheer accessibility of new structures. An entire house can be constructed in mere days at a low cost for high-value durability and aesthetics. New buildings can be built in a fraction of the time traditional construction takes with the help of a construction-grade printer, schematics for the structure, and a small team of operators.
As demand for more housing worldwide grows, 3D printing will allow the construction industry to meet demands despite the persistent labor shortage. Construction workers need only be trained to operate an industrial 3D printer, and a crew of half a dozen or less can build a whole structure. There is even one 3D-printed house in Russia that was constructed in less than 24 hours.
3D printed house done in SelfCAD
The efficiency of 3D printing for construction is about more than convenience, though. Rapid 3D printed construction projects are less disruptive for local communities. Significantly fewer construction vehicles and equipment are required, and the process is much faster. A concrete 3D printer will generally make less noise than a large crew of workers and machines. Additionally, the 3D printer won’t need earthworks or paths for heavy vehicles. In fact, it may not even need a temporary shelter since construction is quick enough to easily be moved to avoid bad weather days.
Additionally, 3D printing enables extremely low-cost construction making high-quality housing more accessible. A project called 14Trees is helping to urbanize communities in Africa using 3D construction. It recently built the first 3D printed house in the continent as well as a school, both located in Malawi. This technology could provide homes and reliable infrastructure to millions in developing countries. Additive manufacturing makes 3D printing ideal for these circumstances since it optimizes resources and has minimal impact on the environment.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., the world’s largest 3D printed neighborhood is being constructed in Austin, Texas, helping the U.S. meet demand in today’s booming housing market. The project follows another success in Austin, the Community First Village project. This development in 3D printing necessitated several affordable houses for homeless people in the area. The Community First Village residences were 3D printed in about 48 hours using a special type of concrete called Lavacrete. The large-scale application of this process could virtually eliminate homelessness in America.
Sustainable, Low-Waste Construction
Construction is shedding its reputation as a high-waste industry thanks to 3D printing. Since 3D printing uses additive construction to build things, only the amount of material needed is used. Any leftover concrete, for example, can be simply set aside for the next project the printer is used for. In fact, some 3D printing methods are even leaving concrete behind and using plastic waste instead. 3D printed support beams have been created that are made of recycled plastic and weigh 80% less than traditional versions. On a large scale, this kind of 3D printing in construction could remove thousands of pounds of waste from landfills worldwide.
3D printer house. Image source:The verge
Since most 3D printers are electronic, they don’t burn fuel to operate, so fewer emissions get released in the construction process compared to other machinery popular in the field. Some experts have even suggested using 3D printers’ additive manufacturing capabilities to rapidly create tools and equipment parts on-site using metal or polymer material. This is convenient for creating new tools in a pinch, and it could potentially even be used to repair them, extending their lifespan. Additionally, virtually all metals are recyclable, so they could even be used to 3D print new metal objects.
As 3D printing technology evolves and becomes more accessible, its capability to reduce material waste and speed up repair and production timelines can keep more construction projects on-track and completed with reduced emissions.
Rapid Road Repair
Researchers at Monash University in Australia have recently developed a 3D printer that can print asphalt and be mounted to a robot for mobile, autonomous operation. This advancement in 3D printing technology could revolutionize road maintenance, leading to greater safety for drivers and repair workers. The asphalt 3D printing robot, one of a few projects in progress around the world, can autonomously scan roads for cracks and potholes and then fill them in by 3D printing precise asphalt patches.
While this technology is still in development, it’s a striking example of the future potential for 3D printing in construction. It could one day help alleviate some of the construction industry’s labor shortage issues by allowing road repair workers to transition to more in-demand positions in the industry. Additionally, robots like this can operate around the clock, rapidly repairing roads before they end up in need of extensive, costly, or dangerous repairs.
Road paving and repair may one day be fully automated using 3D printing. Similar to construction at large, this could improve sustainability even further. Environmentally friendly paving materials are already being tested, such as asphalt mixed with recycled plastic. Combined with the capabilities of 3D printing technology, this could soon lead to more substantial roads maintained entirely by fleets of robots.
Greater Creativity and Flexibility
3D printing in architecture. Image source:Machinedesign.com
One of the more artistic benefits 3D printing offers in construction is increased design flexibility. For architects, this is a game-changer. 3D printers can generate curved walls with ease and at a much lower cost than traditional construction. This is one benefit that will appeal to wealthy clients as well as those seeking affordable housing.
Buildings with unique, dynamic shapes can be constructed rapidly without skyrocketing costs. Those capabilities allow for the construction of modern, cutting-edge designs that would be unachievable with traditional construction methods. Similarly, even budget structures can have a sleek, modern look since 3D printers are so effective at generating smooth, curved shapes.
For example, the Dubai Municipality Building in the United Arab Emirates is one of the largest 3D printed buildings in the world. The ultramodern structure spanned 640 square meters and was 3D printed by a team of only three people. A similarly futuristic office complex was 3D printed in Dubai in 2016, composed of several rounded buildings that serve as the office of the Dubai Future Foundation.
In addition to structural and design resilience, 3D printing offers greater schedule flexibility. Since 3D-printed construction can be completed rapidly, it is not detrimental to adjust the construction schedule. This allows design and planning teams as much time as possible to get the building designs just right without worrying too much about the construction process taking too long.
Pushing the Boundaries of Construction
3D printing is advancing the construction industry well beyond consumer projects. NASA has commissioned 3D printing construction firms to design and build prototype structures for use on Earth’s moon and Mars. This form of 3D printed construction would use local, off-world resources to rapidly generate sturdy, spacious living spaces for astronauts. Rather than transporting a large habitat in advance, NASA would send a 3D printer to Mars that would then be assembled by a rover and ready to go by the time astronauts arrive. These 3D printed habitats would be much more durable than the “bubble” prototypes previously conceived.
3D printing also makes it significantly easier for astronauts to expand habitats after the initial one is built. All they would need to do is restock the Mars printer with more locally collected building materials and set it up at the construction site. This alone makes 3D printing an incredibly valuable tool for space exploration programs. As a benefit for those on Earth, NASA’s research on automated 3D printed construction could very well lead to fully automated building one day. Space exploration has historically been responsible for inventing many everyday items, from artificial limbs to portable computers.
3D printing could be optimized heavily by development for the harsh environments of Mars and the moon. This would improve the capabilities of construction 3D printers and lower the cost to build and use them, making 3D printed construction projects even more affordable and accessible on Earth.
3D Printing and the Future of Construction
3D printing is pushing the envelope in the construction industry by driving innovation while making homes and structures more accessible and sustainable. This technology is vital to the future of the construction industry as well as the architecture industry and even the spaceflight industry. With 3D printing, construction companies could provide affordable, durable homes and infrastructure to billions of people while saving the environment at the same time. 3D printing technology enables designers to create the structures of tomorrow and gives construction teams the tools they need to stay ahead.
Author
Evelyn Long is a construction writer and the editor-in-chief of Renovated. Her work has been published by the Building Performance Association, Training Journal, and other industry publications.
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