If 3D printers are already beginning to revolutionise manufactured products, the same could well be true of our homes. Will we soon see the end of deliveries of pallets of rubble and formwork? After building small detached houses around 1 year ago, the Chinese company WinSun is now constructing a 5-storey building using a 3D printer of xxl dimensions!
The building is 40 metres long, 10 metres wide and 6 metres high. That's all it took to build this structure in Suzhou, China.
The use of giant 3D printers opens up a host of opportunities in the world of construction
The Chinese company intends to use this process to build skyscrapers and bridges.
The construction process is similar to that of a timber-framed house or prefabricated wall, as the various building components are manufactured in a factory by the3D printer before being transported to the site.
The material used consists of construction waste made from concrete, glass and sand, mixed with quick-setting cement and a solidifying agent. The zigzag-printed walls are then assembled on the building site. They are assembled using steel components.
An ecological and economical process
WinSun emphasises the ecological and economic benefits of the process, stating that 30-60% of construction waste is recycled, and that the savings on the production cost of such a building are 50-70%. These unusual printers also reduce labour costs. As proof, their first feat was to produce low-cost houses printed in just a few hours.
