Using 3D printing in construction

Fast, environmentally friendly, cheap and creative. This is how buildings built with a 3D printer can be briefly described. The rapid development of new technologies, namely 3D printing, is changing our understanding of the possibilities of innovative construction methods every day and creating competition for traditional methods.

Although this technology is quite young, it is confidently winning the market and the hearts of developers and ordinary consumers. And all thanks to its undeniable advantages and possibilities for wide application.

A brief excursion into history

3D printing, as an idea, arose more than 40 years ago. During this period, many scientists and researchers have contributed to the improvement and development of this advanced technology.

• Back in 1981, the Japanese Hideo Kodama proposed using the stereolithography method for rapid prototyping, that is, printing. The idea was brilliant, but the researcher was unable to patent his invention.
• Almost simultaneously, American and French scientists began work on similar devices. The latter filed a patent application a few weeks earlier, but were rejected. US engineer Charles Hull printed the first thing on a printer – a small cup for hot drinks. He received a patent for his invention and created the world’s first company, 3D Systems Corporation. Initially, the company was engaged in printing small parts for the automotive industry.
• The next step in the development of 3D prototyping was the emergence of new printing technologies. Scientists from the University of Texas, Carl Deckard and Joseph Beaman, are considered the founders of the SLS (selective laser sintering) method. The world owes the emergence of FDM technology, that is, layer-by-layer deposition, to researcher Scott Crump. And the Sandia laboratory developed the LMD method – direct laser build-up.
• The next step in the development of this new product was the emergence of bioprinting at Boston Children’s Hospital, which became a real breakthrough in the medical industry. Currently, 3D printing is used to manufacture human organs and various bioprostheses.
• Printers have been used in construction since about 2000. Initially, for the manufacture of structural parts and small parts. The first 3D house appeared in Saudi Arabia, then in China, the USA, Switzerland, Japan, and so on.

Advantages of 3D printing in the construction industry

Such new technologies take construction to a new level. Although 3D printers, especially large ones, are not cheap, their use is fully justified by the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the built houses. And the production of the printers themselves is developing and improving every year, the price of mechanisms and the cost of their maintenance and operation are decreasing.

Among the obvious advantages of 3D printing are the following:

1. Speed. As you know, traditional construction is a long-term process, and with the use of a 3D printer it is accelerated dozens of times.
2. Quality and accuracy. Due to the full automation of all stages, the influence of the human factor is reduced and the possibility of error is eliminated. The resulting structures meet all previously declared parameters, have high quality without errors and deviations from the project.
3. Cost reduction. Reducing the time for work directly affects the construction period and savings in the payroll. In addition, some types of work become fully automated, which also allows you to reduce costs.
4. Savings on consumables. Innovative technology allows you to use renewable resources, as well as recycled waste. And when carrying out work using 3D printing, the amount of construction waste is reduced and the construction site becomes orderly and environmentally safe.
5. A wide scope for non-standard architectural solutions. A 3D printer allows you to obtain complex building structures and implement the most daring design projects. Non-standard ideas in the issue of creating ventilation, heating and sewage systems are available with 3D printing.
6. Minimizing environmental impact. The use of secondary raw materials, reducing the time for a full cycle, automation of processes, reducing the amount of construction waste have a positive impact on the environment and cleanliness of the surrounding areas.

All these positive aspects characterize construction in 3D format as a promising industry. Advanced technology will allow you to repair and erect buildings in hard-to-reach and dangerous places, as you can minimize human presence and protect the lives of builders. For example, this can be in areas of natural disasters, man-made disasters and military conflicts.

Unresolved issues

The introduction of something new in any industry is a very complex process. Some problems regarding the use of 3D printing in construction require further development. First of all, this concerns the certification procedure for completed buildings, which currently does not exist in any country.

It is necessary to develop and approve uniform standards and rules for the use of 3D printers. This will not only discipline developers, but also protect future customers, ensure the necessary reliability, safety and environmental friendliness of completed buildings.

Without a doubt, this new direction in the construction industry has a great future. Its rapid development and widespread implementation will be possible only with close cooperation between scientists, engineers, architects, designers, developers and lawmakers.