Construction 3d Printing

[Malene Mederios]

Wedesign and develop the supreme 3D construction printing technology on the market. We pride ourselves on being the one-stop turnkey solution, providing customers with everything they need to succeed in their 3DCP ventures.

3D printing is one of the greatest technological advances and innovations of the 21st century. Its value in the global market reached $190 million (USD) in 2021, and is expected to increase to $680 million (USD) by 2030. The factors that most influence this growth are the increase in environmental concerns regarding the waste generated by the sector, the possibility of customization and architectural flexibility using this technology, and the rapid creation of models and prototypes.

As the technology continues to develop, the possibilities for adoption and growth increase, and by 2028 its compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is expected to be of 91.5% compared to 2021. How do we see the evolution of 3D printing in the construction industry from Cemex Ventures?

The technology around 3D printing has been questioned many times since the 1980s. However, it has gained greater relevance thanks to the improvement of the technique itself that allows for the creation of a three-dimensional object by superimposing successive layers of material. This method of construction is very versatile and can help create specific components of a project and even various types of complex structures in its entirety such as houses or living spaces, offices, bridges, walls, modular structures, reinforcement molds, columns, urban furniture and even decorative elements. How is this possible?

In construction, much of the information needed to make this technology work comes from the design process. As the industry already has experience in the computer-aided manufacturing process and BIM(Building Information Modeling) continues to bloom in the construction sector, the integration of 3D printing technologies is less complicated. Using a CAD or BIM program, a 3D printer receives the information of what it needs to print, and machines begin to overlay material levels according to the indications. This can be done with various materials, the most common being a mixture of concrete, geo polymers, fiber, and sand.

3D printing brings great benefits to the construction industry, being a solution that touches almost all areas of the value chain of the sector. From contributions to sustainability, increased productivity and support in challenges on the supply chain, this technology came to revolutionize the way we build.

With traditional construction methods, a project can take many months to complete, with the norm being that large projects take 20% longer than expected and adding up to 80% in cost overruns over the initial budget. However, 3D printing allows to reduce up to 70% of the time and a project can be completed in just hours or days, depending on its magnitude. Therefore, contractors can work on more projects and, consequently, increase their source of income.

3D printing allows the precise amount of material to be used to lift a structure, allowing up to 60% less waste to be generated at the jobsite. Likewise, there will be no surplus in the purchase of materials, assuming a reduction in costs both in its purchase and subsequent storage.

By reducing time and costs, companies will see an exponential increase in the benefits of this technology, which is also of great help in locations where there is a need for projects and a shortage of labor. By automating the creation of a structure through 3D printers, companies can see a reduction in labor costs of up to 80%.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that 1 in 10 workers on construction sites is injured each year, with falls and wrongful contact with equipment being the main causes.

One of the most important benefits that 3D printing has brought to construction is in the health and safety of the employees onsite. By knowing how to work effectively with printers, workers can do their jobs more easily and reduce injuries in the field.

Last-minute changes to the design will no longer be a problem nor delay the construction process. 3D printing allows you to customize the work until just before starting the printing of the structure, eliminating all the headaches that these changes entail.

Although the benefits of 3D printing in construction will continue to develop as more companies bet on this technology, achieving greater adoption of this method in the market is still a challenge.

In addition, the material or formula of the mixture in which it is printed is one of the main limitations for 3D printing to stand out as a construction method. The material on which it is printed must have the desired printing capacity to be able to be extruded from the nozzle, and the buildability to be able to maintain its shape and sustain itself quickly.

In addition, the open time, which is the period where printing and buildability are consistent within the acceptable tolerances since there is a limited time to print the material, become a main challenge. Any delay in the process can cause the concrete to harden and hinder the work.

Automatically controlled printer that allows freedom of movement and flexibility to schedule multiple tasks. The arm is capable of printing from multiple angles, allowing the realization of complex geometries and curves, and printing in larger sizes compared to other 3D printing methods.

The contouring method marks the beginning of 3D printing in construction. This process deposits building material to form a 3D model and create large-scale structures with a smooth surface finish. It works with rails placed around the floor of the building that act as a guide to direct the robotic arm in the application of the concrete layer by layer.

The demand for construction and better infrastructure is growing, especially in large cities. In 1800, only 3% of the population resided in urban areas; by 1900, the total population living in cities increased to 15%. Today we reach 55% of humanity residing in urban areas and the World Economic Forum predicts that two-thirds of the population will live in large cities by 2050.

On a global scale there are numerous government measures that encourage the implementation of 3D printing under construction. Several cities are running to win this race and one of those that opts to lead the list is Dubai, where 25% of buildings have to be made with 3D printing technology by 2030.

The enormous work that startups are doing to promote the adoption of 3D printing in the construction industry is proof that the contech ecosystem is dominated by entrepreneurs who dare to bet on innovative technologies. More often, these projects are being supported by big names in construction, a result of the growth that this technology is having in the global market.

As we work to transform construction into a more efficient, sustainable and innovative industry, Cemex Ventures is actively looking for solutions and entrepreneurs in the construction 3D printing space.

A decade ago, 3D printing in construction at the scale it is used today was almost unthinkable, since it was too expensive and too difficult to scale across global markets. However, as we look toward 2030, 3D printing construction options are becoming more and more complete and available, offering immense benefits to stakeholders across the entire construction value chain.

Moreover, since 2017 we have kept an eye out for all the participating startups of Construction Startup Competition with solutions that apply to the Future of Construction vertical, paying close attention to those related to 3D printing.

Construction 3D Printing (c3Dp) or 3D construction Printing (3DCP) refers to various technologies that use 3D printing as a core method to fabricate buildings or construction components. Alternative terms for this process include "additive construction."[1][2] "3D Concrete" refers to concrete extrusion technologies whereas Autonomous Robotic Construction System (ARCS), large-scale additive manufacturing (LSAM), and freeform construction (FC) refer to other sub-groups.[3]

A number of different approaches have been demonstrated to date, which include on-site and off-site fabrication of buildings and construction components, using industrial robots, gantry systems, and tethered autonomous vehicles. Demonstrations of construction 3D printing technologies have included fabrication of housing, construction components (cladding and structural panels and columns), bridges and civil infrastructure, artificial reefs, follies, and sculptures.[4][5]

3D Concrete Printing is indeed a promising technology that has the potential to revolutionize the construction of buildings and structures into new and complex forms, saving time, materials, labor, and costs, while also enhancing the sustainability and environmental impact of construction. However, this technology faces various obstacles and challenges, such as the selection and design of material mixes, process quality and control, structural integrity, and the durability of 3D-printed structures, as well as industry regulation and standardization.[6]

In 1939 William Urschel created the worlds first 3D concrete printed building in Valparaiso Indiana. A video of the machine he built, used and patented to do this is available on YouTube: =Dl9rhG5BPrM

Robotic bricklaying was conceptualized at explored in the 1950s and related technology development around automated construction began in the 1960s, with pumped concrete and isocyanate foams.[7] Development of automated fabrication of entire buildings using slip forming techniques and robotic assembly of components, akin to 3D printing, were pioneered in Japan to address the dangers of building high rise buildings by Shimizu and Hitachi in the 1980s and 1990s.[8] Many of these early approaches to on-site automation foundered because of the construction 'bubble', their inability to respond to novel architectures and the problems of feeding and preparing materials to the site in built up areas.

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