Displaying items by tag: 3D printing

Mexico/Denmark: Cemex and 3D printing construction company Cobod International have launched D.fab, a range of admixtures which enable builders to use ordinary concrete in 3D printing. The partners say that the products eliminate the need for expensive specialised mortars. Power2Build implemented the admixtures in concrete to print a whole house in Luanda, Angola, in early December 2021.

Cemex’s executive vice president sustainability, commercial and operations development Juan Romero said “The introduction of this revolutionary 3D printing system is a testament to our customer-centric mindset and relentless focus on continuous innovation and improvement. Working together with Cobod, we have developed an experience for customers that is superior to anything that has been provided in the past,” said “Our innovation efforts position us at the forefront of new technologies that contribute to building a better future.”

Kenya: Affordable housing joint venture 14Trees and UK-based development finance company CDC Group have 3D printed a complex of 52 houses near Kilifi, Kilifi county. The development, called Mvule Gardens, uses an IFC-EDGE Advanced-certified sustainable design to support the ecological regeneration of its locale. Swtizerland-based Holcim, which holds a stake in 14Trees, supplied its TectorPrint ink for use in buildings’ walls to increase strength.

Holcim CEO Jan Jenisch said “We are excited to be building one of the world’s largest 3D-printed affordable housing projects in Kenya. With today’s rapid urbanisation, over 3bn people are expected to need affordable housing by 2030. This issue is most acute in Africa, with countries like Kenya already facing an estimated shortage of 2m houses. By deploying 3D printing, we can address this infrastructure gap at scale, to increase living standards for all.”

Malawi: Switzerland-based Holcim says that the world’s first 3D printed school has opened in Salima district’s Kalonga village after a build time of just 18 hours. The EcoPact green concrete producer says the building provides a much-needed thirteenth school in Yambe, which still needs three more. Holcim’s green construction subsidiary 14Trees estimates that its 3D printing technology can meet Malawi’s school building needs by 2031, compared to after 2090 by conventional methods. The group said that the school proves that “3D printing can play a key role in bridging our world’s education infrastructure gap” with high-quality, sustainable, affordable and fast-paced construction, at scale.

Europe, Middle East and Africa regional head Miljan Gutovic said, “I am very proud of how our colleagues at 14Trees have deployed cutting-edge 3D printing technology to solve such an essential infrastructure need. Now that we’ve proven the concept in Malawi, we look forward to scaling up this technology across the broader region, with projects already in the pipeline in Kenya and Zimbabwe.”

US: Cobod’s modular BOD2 3D construction printer is being used to build a 160m² residential house in Tempe, Arizona. The new house will be ready for its occupants by September 2021. The building has been designed by Candelaria Associates.

General manager Henrik Lund-Nielsen said, “Our 3D construction technology and printers have enjoyed immense success in Europe, Africa, The Middle East, and Asia. Obviously, due to our long-term cooperation with GE, we have some success with US customers also. Still, we are really pleased that our printers are now beginning to make a stronger inroad into the US construction market. More and more US companies realise that our technology is superior to what local suppliers can deliver. Our printers have done buildings in two US states now and more will follow in the coming months.”

Italy: Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim has announced its participation in a partnership to build the world’s first 3D-printed concrete bridge in Venice, Venice province. The company will supply cement for the project. The bridge will feature in the European Cultural Centre (ECC)’s Time Space Existence exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2021 from May 2021 to November 2021. Other partners for the project are ETH Zürich’s Block Research Group (BRG) and UK-based Zaha Hadid Architects’ Computation and Design Group.

Malawi: LafargeHolcim and UK-based development financier CDC Group have printed two buildings in Lilongwe. The partnership, called 14 Trees, built a demo building and a school over a period of two days. It used 3D printing specialist COBOD’s BOD2 3D printer. The supplier also provided training to construction workers on how to operate the equipment.

LafargeHolcim Middle East Africa regional head Miljan Gutovic said, “I am very excited about the work of our joint venture 14Trees, innovating in 3D printing technology to accelerate affordable and sustainable building, from homes to schools. This is a great example of our commitment to build for people and the planet. Starting in Malawi, we will deploy this technology across the broader region with projects already in the pipeline in Kenya and Zimbabwe.”

Germany: Denmark-based COBOD has supplied its BOD2 3D construction printer to the site of the world’s first 3D printed commercial apartment building in Wallenhausen, Bavaria. COBOD partner PERI will use the product to print a 380m² complex, consisting of five apartments across three stories.

General manager and founder of COBOD Henrik Lund-Nielsen said, “We are incredibly pleased, that we are beginning to see the fruits of the many 3D construction printers we have sold. The actual building projects have been delayed by the Coronavirus outbreak, but now they start to be revealed. This new German project is really a great milestone as the commercial nature of the building proves the competitiveness of the 3D construction printing technology for three floors buildings and apartment buildings. This, again, opens entirely new markets for our printers.”

China: Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim has announced the formation of green building solutions partnership with Southeast University (SEU) in Nanjing for research into concretes and mortars for use in 3D printing in construction. The company says that the partnership is a step towards achieving its aim of becoming a “full 3D printing solutions provider.”

Head of research and development Edelio Bermejosaid, “Our global network of academic partners is critical in helping us think outside the box. We need the brightest minds to help us lead the next frontier of building solutions.”

France: Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim and Netherlands-based Witteveen + Bos have launched the 3D Printing Hackathon, an event in which engineering, architecture, and materials science students will compete to develop a new product leveraging 3D concrete printing technology to solve major problems in construction.

LafargeHolcim will supply concrete and provide technical mentorship to contestants. The company said that, while construction accounts for 40% of global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, 1.6bn people are altogether without adequate housing. “Building more with less accelerates the speed of construction and reduces a building’s footprint. Leading the way in green building solutions, LafargeHolcim is actively deploying 3D printing towards addressing these challenges.” Research and development head Edelio Bermejo added, “We need to join forces to make this ground-breaking technology a reality. Join us on this exciting adventure!”

The group is offering a prize pool of Euro15,000 and operational support for full-scale implementation of the winning 3D printing solution.

Germany: HeidelbergCement says that it has supplied concrete for the construction of an 80m² two-storey detached house in Beckum, North Rhine-Westphalia. The concrete contains i.tech 3D, a ground sulphoaluminate clinker developed by HeidelbergCement subsidiary Italcementi for use as an additive in concrete for 3D printing. Engineering & Innovation head Jennifer Scheydt said, “The development of a cement-bound material for 3D printing is a major challenge. It should be easy to pump and extrude. It must also quickly develop sufficient load-bearing capacity so that the lower layers do not give out under the load of the upper layers. At the same time, the bond between the layers must be ensured.”

The property, the first of its kind, will consist of three-shelled insulation-filled walls when completed in late 2020.