Black Buffalo 3D Corporation, a leading provider of large-scale 3D construction printers, and MAPEI Corporation, a leading construction materials provider for the building industry, have entered a strategic partnership involving research, development, and manufacturing for the 3D construction printing industry. Their first collaboration, Planitop 3D construction ink, is made to work with NEXCON 3D construction printers for better performance at a fraction of the cost of existing building materials. The combination of equipment and materials will be utilized in the recently announced 200 home community being printed by Alquist 3D in Pulaski, VA.
“The Black Buffalo 3D team recognized the need for standardization in materials to drive the next phase of growth in the 3D construction industry,” said Michael Woods, CEO/COO of Big Sun Holdings, Black Buffalo 3D’s parent corporation. “MAPEI was able to enhance the formula our team developed and take it to the next level, outclassing every product on the market – that makes 3D printing homes, buildings, and infrastructure financially feasible on nearly every level.”
Manufacturing on Demand
Planitop 3D is now available through MAPEI across North America. This cement-based construction ink/mortar was specially developed through years of research, testing, and evaluation by independent and in-house material scientists at Black Buffalo 3D Corporation, MAPEI, and various 3rd party labs including Intertek, based in York, PA. Held to the strictest standards and created to increase efficiency on the job site and throughout its lifecycle, Planitop 3D is designed to quickly set up and support every layer printed above it.
“MAPEI has always been known for innovation and for helping communities around the nation. The 3D printed homes and other structures printed with Planitop 3D and Black Buffalo 3D’s NEXCON printers represent technology at its most compassionate creating a more affordable housing market,” said Luigi Di Geso, MAPEI Corporation’s President and CEO. “We are proud to be involved in this evolution in construction and housing.”
While this is the first public announcement of Planitop 3D, materials scientists from Black Buffalo 3D and MAPEI have been working for over a year – fine-tuning a cement-based construction ink for the 3D construction industry. Milestones already achieved include several 13+ hour print sessions on NEXCON printers by the Black Buffalo 3D team in Elizabeth, NJ, which have been verified by members of the ICC-ES approved lab Intertek. The verification process used stringent testing to the criteria of the ICC-ES AC-509 standard for 3D printed walls. The official results and reporting are expected to be released in the upcoming months.
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Author: Edward Wakefield
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