Top 3 Benefits of 3D Printing in Construction

3D Printing has made some major strides in tech. The technology has touched industries from fashion (3D printed shoes & clothes)  to the medical field (3D printed skull), and the construction industry is no exception. Although 3D printing is in its beginning stages in this field, it’s looking to make a big impact that brings a big bang with its long list of benefits. These are ZBRELLA’s top 3 picks for 3D printing’s most beneficial assets specifically for construction:

1. Less Production & Assembly Time

3D printing promises speed for the industry in both production and assembly time. Although 3D printing has been known to be slow in the past, the technology has sped up significantly and some 3D printers can print entire houses (in parts) in anywhere from 24 to 72 hours in production factories. There are even some 3D printers (such as Contour Crafting and Big Delta) that are trying to print the entire home onsite within 24 hours.  With these 3D printers made specifically for construction, multiple homes can (and already have been) printed in a day and then transferred onsite to be assembled.

The assembly time of these homes is astounding, too. Assembly can be as quick as three hours for an entire two story home (as proved by the Zhuoda group this year) and multiple homes can be assembled within just one day.

2. More Economical

3D printers can and will be a more economical choice for not only the consumers, but the developers as well. Right now, the big printers needed to print houses and buildings are still expensive (the cost will decrease as the technology becomes more readily available), but for those companies who have developed the technology to do so, they are reaping the benefits. Because these houses can be printed in factories and assembled in  significantly less time, the need for a large amount of labor decreases. Less time developing and assembling saves dollars. Less workers onsite to assemble saves even more. And more affordable materials to build with cuts costs.

According to Winsun, a leader in 3D printing in construction, they estimate that 3D printing:

Saves 60% on Materials

Saves 70% on Time

Saves 80% on Labor

3. Environmentally Sound Solution

3D printing has huge potential to make a big environmental impact. And it starts with the materials that are used for printing. Companies all across the globe have created environmentally sound “ink” using recycled and sustainable materials, as well as strong stones and clay to construct structures that are not only more efficient than the common construction materials, but that will last longer and have less of a carbon imprint. These materials crack less, keep water out, preserve heat and keep cool when they need to.

What’s more is that the actual process of assembly is more environmentally safe in that it removes the actual construction workers from hazardous materials and noise onsite (simply because 3D printed houses have an astoundingly simple assembly process). And because almost everything is already prefabricated in a controlled environment with a controlled amount of materials, the waste left behind by 3D printing is significantly less than typical construction practices.

3D printing is not yet the standard for the construction industry, but the technology has already affected and questioned the processes behind modern construction practices. From 3D printed apartment buildings to hotel rooms to houses, the processes and results have already been proven. Now, it’s just a matter of time before the industry catches on.