An event that could spark the beginning of a real revolution: those are the sentiments and famous last words of 3D printing company WASP (World’s Advanced Saving Project). Since 2012, WASP has been striving to produce quality 3D printers in the world of open-source, with a focus on in-house production.
And in seven days, they just might do it. On September 18th, 2015, Massa Lombarda, Italy will play host to the “Reality of Dream” event, where WASP plans to unveil, for the first time, their conceptualization of the largest 3D printer in the entire world.
At a staggering 39 feet tall, the printer will showcase for three days until September 20th, where WASP is hoping to inspire true innovation and progress for the future of technology. Big Delta, the name of the spotlight printer, isn’t just looking to inspire, though, it’s looking to solve real problems in the real world on behalf of its company.
What Big Delta is Looking to Accomplish
In short, Big Delta is a big printer that manufactures houses and is looking to be the next big game-changer in housing-construction. Beyond that, WASP is pushing to be the revolution they believe the self-manufacturing industry needs by advocating 3D printing as the model for low-cost everything, where anyone can 3D print a means to an end. What WASP is really looking for is to be a solution, and Big Delta, right now, is what they hope the next big solution to speedy, low-cost housing will be.
According to WASP, the United Nations has already predicted that over the next 15 years, an average daily requirement of 100,000 new housing units will need to be produced to meet the demands of a growing population making a yearly income below $3,000 dollars. When you take into account that by 2030, over four billion people will be among those numbers, it’s clear that the need for affordable and adequate housing is, and will continue to be, in demand.
For WASP, Big Delta will hopefully play a major role in making positive contributions to the affordable-housing market, and maybe even start a revolution, as per their mission statement. Big Delta, in addition to being the biggest boy on the block, also promises to 3D print using nothing but native clays, a carefully chosen methodology that lends itself to the affordable housing niche.
But beyond leading the pack towards low-cost housing, WASP is hoping that Big Delta will be the first step towards integrating self-manufacturing into the everyday lives of everyday people to enable what they call a “MakerEconomy.” A MakerEconomy is a type of economy where people can print and make whatever needs they require, from work to health to housing. And Big Delta might just be the bridge between our current economy and WASP’s ideal MakerEconomy thus far.
What Does Big Delta Mean for Construction?
Big Delta, although still largely a mystery, could mean all sorts of things for construction. Similar to how other 3D printing technologies are impacting the industry, Big Delta, if successful, by and large will mean shorter production times at a fraction of the cost.
The elimination of a majority of human laborers will inevitably lower production cost, while the print time, although still unknown, has been promised by WASP to be faster and more efficient compared to traditional construction methods. And if what WASP says is true, using native clays only will virtually eliminate the need for any other labor materials, decreasing costs once again.
The ability to produce and sustain self-manufactured homes will undoubtedly impact the construction industry in many ways, some that have even yet to be seen. But one thing WASP is certain of is that Big Delta will shake up the construction industry by delivering faster and more affordable housing. The introduction of large 3D printers such as Big Delta could even suggest new positions in the construction industry, and the role of the worker could see unexpected shifts.
Big Delta’s Competition
Although Big Delta is looking to be the world’s biggest 3D printer in construction, it’s certainly not the world’s first 3D printer in construction. In fact, if it weren’t for its sheer size, Big Delta would have a lot to stack up against, because 3D printers have been changing construction for some time now. Here’s a quick glance at Big Delta’s competition:
- WinSun: The Chinese company that started it all. WinSun is known for its innovations in 3D printing homes after being the first company to 3D print mansions and multi-floor apartments. WinSun has long but since made a name for themselves in the world of 3D printing, and will undoubtedly continue to make strides in the industry.
- Contour Crafting: Otherwise known as automated construction, Contour Crafting has yet to deliver a physical product, but their innovations in technology-thought and design are what they’re known for. What Contour Crafting is aiming to do in construction is remove off-site assembly of 3D printed parts and, instead, print entire homes, on-site, in under 24 hours. The project is ambitious, but Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis, creator of Contour Crafting, is confident that one day, he will be able to deliver the technology to the industry.
- Zuoda Group: Another 3D company out of China, Zuoda Group is 3D printing homes and assembling them in less than three hours. An impressive feat of speed, Zuoda Group is undeniably challenging the industry’s strengths by offering fast, affordable housing, similar to what WASP is looking to do. The company currently has an impressive two story villa to their name, in which they assembled a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom in three hours.
Big Delta still has a lot to prove in terms of what it can offer to the construction industry that we haven’t seen before. But if WASP can manage to pull it off, who knows, maybe we really will be on the precipice of a great construction revolution? Until then, everyone will have to wait until September 18th to see just how big big really means.
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