Apr 11, 2018 | By David
A Spanish 3D printing start-up has developed a new system for construction that should point the way forward for 3D printed architecture. Be More 3D's concrete 3D printer has recently built one of Spain's first 3D printed houses. According to the company, the machine is designed to 3D print bungalows in just 15 hours, and can work even faster if the settings are changed - completing an entire building in eight hours. The efficient machine will also significantly reduce pollution and can cut building costs by up to 35 percent, enabling a house to be built for as little as £55,000.
(source: Economia3)
We’ve previously reported on a number of different 3D printed concrete systems, designed for various different purposes. Asian companies Siam Cement 3D and WinSun have been two of the main players in the field for many years now, creating all kinds of elaborate structures and impressive buildings. However, as construction projects generally need to be carried out in a specific place and the size of most concrete 3D printers is formidably large, limited mobility and transportation issues have prevented the technology from completely taking over the construction industry. Companies are working to address this issue, such as Dutch company CyBe, which has developed a 3D printer that can travel around on caterpillar tracks, making it easier to get it to where it needs to be. Florida-based Millebot has recently created a huge 3D printer that is designed to fit inside a shipping container, for easy transportation of structures.
Be More 3D’s concrete 3D printing system is, therefore, far from unique or new in the 3D printing world, but it definitely looks to be one of the fastest and most efficient systems developed so far. The start-up worked with engineers from the Polytechnic University of Valencia in the process of creating its concrete 3D printer, and the system should continue to see further improvements in the future.
(source: MailOnline, @bemore3d)
Programmed by a 3D model of what the building’s structure should be, the concrete 3D printer has a nozzle that extrudes concrete, depositing it in place in order to set. This is gradually built up layer-by-layer, until a building is eventually formed. The technique means that a whole building can be constructed from concrete without the need for formwork. This cuts down massively on production time and labour costs, and this is how a system like Be More 3D's concrete printer can build things so quickly and cheaply.
(source: MailOnline, @bemore3d)
At present, Be More 3D’s concrete 3D printer is only capable of constructing bungalows, around 24 square metres (258 square feet) in size, but future developments should eventually enable it to 3D print multi-storey structures. According to Be More 3D co-founder Vicente Ramirez, the construction process still requires additional manual work after the initial 3D printing is complete. ''After the initial build, we have to put on the roof with pre-made panels, and put in the windows, doors,taps and waterproofing'', he told MailOnline.
The 3D printer is currently being used to build seven chalets, each with a living-dining room, bathroom and bedroom, in the city of Cuenca, in the province of Castille-Mancha in Spain. Be More 3D is expecting to receive more orders for construction projects next year, from South America as well as the Far East.
Posted in 3D Printing Technology
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