BUILDING A HOME – THE FUTURE OF 3D PRINTING

3D printing has been a game changer when it comes to manufacturing of literally anything. It has especially had a huge impact when it comes to additive manufacturing and rapid prototyping. The term “additive manufacturing” was borne from the use of 3D printers in the process. The blueprint to the process is usually a 3D digital file which directs the machine.

One of the areas where 3D printing has been used is the construction business. A 3D printed house takes as little as 24 hours to get done.

3D printing technology

It all began in the year 1984 the process of stereolithography was discovered. This involved creating layers through the addition of photopolymers and UV lasers. 3D printing tech has come a long way since then. The easiest way to experience 3D printing comes in the form of a 3D pen. If you'd like to find more about them, go here for 3d printing pens and their reviews.

With the use of more advanced machinery and software, 3D printing has become a fulcrum on which manufacturing companies are leveraging their processes on.

Using 3D printing lowers costs across the board – from the manufacturer to the customer. Another advantage is that it’s a lot quicker which saves time and money as well.

3D printed homes

3D printing is the future of home building because it is easy as well as cost effective. There are many people for whom decent housing is still a luxury. A 3D printer can help solve this problem and especially in developing countries. While it might have some way to go when you compare traditional means of housing it is a much sturdier option than lean-tos.

Technology has advanced enough to the point that people are building or planning high rise structures. Today’s 3D printing tech is a lot stronger and more robust than ever before, and we need to use it to our advantage. Another factor is that 3D printed homes or offices are easily scalable – meaning you can add more rooms or spaces without problems.

Let’s look at the benefits of 3D printed houses in more detail.

Benefits of 3D printed construction

There are tangible benefits to switching to 3D printing for construction needs. Here are some of them which you should know.

Strength and durability

One of the most popular myths about 3D printed houses that it is structurally inferior to their traditional counterparts. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. 3D printing ensures that there are relatively fewer stress points in construction which means a building that is actually stronger. For example, HuaShang Tengda, a company that specialized in building 3D printed houses, recently demoed a 400-square-meter house that can actually withstand an 8.0 Richter earthquake.

Speed

Traditional methods using materials like concrete take a long time to dry out and in that time are subject to the whims of the weather. Not so with 3D printing – it’s fast and easy. A traditionally constructed house can take 6-7 months to get done. Compare this to 3D printing methods where a house is constructed within a day, and you begin to realize the possibilities.

Costs

Using 3D printing can dramatically decrease construction costs due to minimal consumption of materials as well as labor. A 650 square foot house costs only $10,000. With more adopters of the technology, this can further come down to $4,000. Compared to traditional methods of constructing a house, this is a huge amount of money saved.

Flexibility

3D printing opens up endless possibilities when it comes to design and utility. With this new technology, you can resort to curvilinear structures which are a lot more structurally sound. This means the possibilities of experimenting with different shapes delivering the homeowner a truly unique house catered to their taste.

Carbon footprint

3D printing techniques reduce wastage and use much more sustainable materials for construction. There are continuing developments when it comes to materials used. A company DUS recently built a structure using bioplastics made from 80% vegetable oil.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are several advantages to using 3D printing for our constructions needs. There are a few niggles to sort out such as the surface being not as smooth as a traditional house and the printers being expensive. In the long term, we can expect these problems to be ironed out. 3D printing looks extremely viable as a technology for construction in the future!