As of 2018, BCG reported, there were fewer than forty 3D-printed construction prototypes worldwide. History of 3D Printing. A History of 3D Printing in Construction Before we get into a history of 3D printing in the construction industry, it’s first important to take a step back in time to the origins of 3D printing itself. 3D Printing Overcomes Construction Constraints. 3D printing is one of the most revolutionary technologies today allowing anyone to turn an idea into a physical product. These projects are excellent proofs of concept across the board, and great solutions for quickly creating buildings or parts for specific purposes, but most mechanical engineers would agree 3D printing still has a ways to go in order to be relied upon for most building construction. Lets start by studying some examples of 3D printed buildings.
Despite this revolution in 3D printing technology, it would be some 30 years until the general public began to show any real interest in the technology. We were among the first to recognise the potential of 3D printing within the construction industry.
3D printing in building construction. Found in July 24, 2003, Yingchuang Building Technique （Shanghai）Co.Ltd. In recent years, 3D printers have moved out of the engineering laboratory, where they’ve been hidden for over 20 years, and are beginning to be used for other things. French company Constructions-3D have created a polar 3D printer which prints whilst inside the construction site, and then leave through the front door of the building once construction is finished. As of mid 2017, the leader in the field (by number of buildings built) is Chinese company Winsun. This arm offers a printable area of more than 250 m² and over 8 metres high. We pioneered the use of 3D printed materials on a major London building project, as well as being lead partners in a research group exploring 3D printing. Artists have discovered this new medium, and yes, it’s being looked at for construction as well [10]. The lead-up to Y2K was thrilling—not only because, in 1999, the original Beverly Hills 90210 entered its last season on the air but also because the first 3D-printed organ was implanted in humans.
The printing is done with what we could call “super-size printers” which use a special concrete and composite mixture. (WinSun) is the first high-tech company in the world which truly achieves 3D printing architecture, specializing in the R&D and production of construction new materials for more than 15 years. In terms of mass production, he thinks 3DP construction should be seeking collaboration rather than domination of the market. 1999–2010: 3D Printing’s Adolescent History. So don't throw away your cranes or your tools just yet! 3D printing for construction. 3D printed materials at 6 Bevis Marks. Here are the landmark events that brought it to where it is in 2018. This could prove to be a lifesaver for construction managers with access to this technology and could lead to increased competition within the construction field. This technology is used to create a 3D model from a picture where users can test a … He invented stereolithography, a process that produced a tangible 3D object from digital data.
While 3D printing offers a different set of opportunities, and has unique challenges, the reality is that it will have to vie for its place in the contractor’s toolkit alongside other emerging forms of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). Charles Hull, co-founder of 3D Systems, initiated the development of 3D printing. Moreover, 3D printing accounted for less than one percent of one percent of all construction revenue. In the last decade, engineering research teams have been experimenting with using 3D printing to build components of buildings and entire homes, via 3D printing.
Meet the Father of 3D Printing. We can attribute 3D printing technology to an American engineer and the co-founder of 3D systems, Chuck (Charles) Hull. 3D printing in construction has powerful potential. At this point, though, 3D-printed buildings aren’t yet mainstream. China-based 3D printing construction company WinSun “expects 3D printing will save construction companies up to 50 percent on the cost” of building a house. He sees the future of 3D-printing construction more in terms of similar one-off iconic projects. Overseas, however, printed buildings are growing more popular. It consists of a mechanical base, and robotic arm with a nozzle for extruding the material at the end.
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