By integrating modular prefabricated buildings with 3D printing technology, construction companies can greatly simplify the construction process, while at the same time, controlling the costs and minimizing wastages. Through intelligent designs and optimized use of materials, 3D printing enables alternative construction methods, making a sustainable contribution to the environment.

Let’s get to the facts first. The world’s first 3D printed plastic footbridges were built in China. Made from modified plastic and built on a robotic platform, the 11m bridge can hold up to 5 adults at once. In Germany, the Technical University Munich (TUM) 3D prints extraordinary lightweight cement pipes with a network of internal supports, inspired by the natural structure of bird bones.. The team deployed a selective binding technique to generate the design, which would be impossible to fabricate otherwise. To leverage on the advantages of 3D technology, Dubai has implemented a policy of having 25% of all new buildings 3D printed within 2030. Not only this, a home built from these 3D-printed panels saves approximately 2.3 tons of CO2 emissions, according to California-based Mighty Buildings.

It seems like no one wants to be behind in this race of 3D printing prefabrication. If the latest developments are anywhere to go by, the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech) has recently completed the 3D printing of the walls of the largest (so far) 3D printed building in the world made with real concrete. The house consists of 190 m2 (2,100 SF) and is typical for a social housing unit in Oman. The house was printed in two stages. While the materials recipe was adjusted and Omani crew were trained during the printing of the first part of the house, the second part of the house was done by the Omani crew on their own and it only took five days to complete.
But why are we harping on the 3D printing technology in prefabricated concrete construction? Well, the answer is simple. The increasing labour and housing shortages are posing a greater challenge on housing companies to enhance productivity, while at the same time, reduce the cost of construction. 3D printing technology, as an automated and additive manufacturing process, is one of the best ways to address these concerns.

In layman’s understanding, 3D printing can be used to create construction components or to ‘print’ entire building. 3D printing is one of the best suited technologies for construction and especially prefab steel buildings because much of the information necessary to create an item is pre-existing, with the industry already heavily deploying computer aided manufacturing (CAD) for design purposes. The recent emergence of building information modelling (BIM) also points towards greater and faster adoption of 3D printing in construction.
There are innumerable advantages that 3D printing can offer in prefabricated buildings. Some of them include:

Fast production: 3D printing in the construction industry entails reduced production time because the machines are faster. Some of them are capable of manufacturing 600 to 800 sq ft homes in just 24 hours. An amazing feat, isn’t it! These are also fully automated, thereby greatly eliminating human error. Additionally, 3D printers don’t require additional tooling. They have the construction programmed and they just produce it, there is no need for additional support, different materials, and other aspects to keep in mind that traditional methods require. Russian company Apis Cor specializes in 3D printers which can produce a contour crafted home in just 24 hours. 3D printers can be easily transported to the building site and within 30 minutes, it’s ready to build the future house! The concrete is a special mix that hardens fast, allowing the printer to work fast.
Increased worker safety: Worker safety has long been one of the biggest concerns of large-scale construction projects. Construction of 3D printing is done off-site which eases a lot of these risks and enables a company to ensure a safe working environment.

Greater design freedom: 3D technologies can significantly enhance project planning as they can be used already at the design stage. It offers the greatest advantage of design flexibility as well as versatility. The Dubai Future Foundation’s Museum of the Future is a great example in this regard. Killa Design (along with Gensler) has developed the world’s first fully functional and permanently occupied 3D printed building in Dubai, UAE. The structure of the building was manufactured using an additive concrete ‘printing’ technique using a 3D printer 20 ft high, 120 ft long and 40 ft wide. The cladding was fabricated using insulated panels custom-cut to form the complex geometry of the façade. They produced new, futuristic structures, assembled in just 17 days by 17 professionals. They are equipped with energy-saving devices, which are very cost-efficient. Also, using 3D printing for construction already brought the labour costs down by 50%!

Cost savings: From economies of scale to lower failure rates, to savings in transportation of raw material costs, 3D printing in prefabricated buildings significantly reduces the costs of construction. It also saves a lot of production costs on material waste because a 3D printer, such as robotic arms, uses exactly the amount of material they need. Producing buildings layer by layer and with lattice structures inside enables huge cost reduction. Besides, they are also capable of using recycled materials. For instance, an Italian company WASP designed and developed one of the largest 3D printers in the world capable of producing homes out of local materials and using green energy (hydro, wind or solar power).
All the major breakthroughs and pilot projects reflect one simple aspect: 3D printing is a viable solution to address the multi-faceted challenge of building enough high-quality housing to meet the demands of the fastest growing urban population. At Steelion, we incorporate many such new age technologies in our construction processes to deliver a future-ready sustainable structure that companies can use for decades. Our team of technical experts has been consistently looking out for solutions that suit our customers’ peculiar requirements while at the same time ensuring that the built structure is not only advanced but also sustainable for the long run. Our completed projects in the Southern part of the country have been great examples of how prefab can lead to such incredible changes and make the entire construction simpler, greener, efficient and cost effective, all at once.

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Related post : Robotics & Prefab

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Source: Cobod, 3drific, Unearth, Sculpteo