News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Black Buffalo 3D (BB3D), a 3D construction printing company, and AM Unique – by Namthaja, have partnered to develop 3DCP projects in the Middle East. BB3D will add its NEXCON concrete 3D printers to AM Unique’s fleet, while AM Unique will leverage its expertise in design and 3D printing for residential, commercial, and industrial structures as an efficient alternative to traditional building methods.
Somerset Community College (SCC) is leading the state of Kentucky’s adoption of 3D printing technology for housing construction. The goal of the initiative is to provide affordable and resilient housing solutions that could be essential for surviving and rebuilding after natural disasters. In recent years, Kentucky and the Appalachian regions have faced devastating losses from tornadoes, floods, and hurricanes – natural disasters that seem to now regularly exceed predictive weather models.
Holcim Polska completed its first 3D printed concrete drinking water tank in Barczewko, near Olsztyn, Poland. This project, achieved in collaboration with GLOBTANK, COBOD International, and the general contractor EKO-WOD Kętrzyn for the investor ZWiK Barczewo, highlights Holcim’s emerging role as a leader in innovative additive construction technologies such as the BOD 3D printers.
An ongoing investigation led by British water services company United Utilities, ChangeMaker3D, Manchester Metropolitan University’s PrintCity and Scottish Water aims to determine the benefits and impacts of using 3D printing for water infrastructure components. The initiative, called Water Industry Printfrastructure (WIP), has been underway since 2023 and is on track to wrap up in early 2025.
Aridditive, a construction 3D printing spin-off from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and CIM UPC, In Barcelona, has closed a €500,000 Pre-Seed funding round, led by BeAble Capital with participation from Suma Capital. This backing, along with the Startup Capital support from ACCIÓ, will allow the company to accelerate the development of its concrete 3D printing technology – focused on automation, digitalization, and sustainability within the construction sector.
The FLEXHab space habitat, developed to train astronauts for upcoming Artemis missions at the European Space Agency (ESA), showcases an advanced use of 3D printing technology, courtesy of “superhack” Danish company WOHN. Project partners also include Prusa Research. Various state-of-the-art technologies were used to enhance crew comfort and functionality, including multiple 3D printed interior elements crafted from upcycled wood fibers and polymers.
A joint renewable energy initiative spearheaded by Fraunhofer IEE, concrete 3D printing specialist Sperra and submersible motor pump company Pleuger Industries aims to advance the efficiency of subsea energy storage. The project, called StEnSea (Stored Energy in the Sea), has received backing from both the United States and German governments, with the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) awarding $4 million to its development and the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) pledging $3.7 million.
According to the University of Maine, ground has been broken on the Green Engineering and Materials (GEM) building, a 50,000-square-foot facility designed to house the cutting-edge Factory of the Future (FoF) – incorporating digital manufacturing technologies and fully adaptive, immersive learning spaces for students at UMaine and across the University of Maine System.
Apple’s recent launch of the MacBook Pro M4 has drawn widespread attention, not only for the tech giant’s latest advancements but also for showcasing how pervasive 3D printing is in real-world applications. The launch video, unveiled by CEO Tim Cook, shows both standard polymer and large-scale construction printed components, highlighting the increasingly pervasive role of additive manufacturing (AM) in today’s design landscape. This use of 3D printing also aligns with Apple’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of design and technology, presenting its products as integral to a flexible, mobile, and tech-driven lifestyle.
Blackwell 3D Construction Corp., a 3D construction printing technology company, has entered a partnership with Stayzation Lifestyle, a prominent player in the luxury vacation real estate market throughout India. The collaboration aims to explore the potential of 3D concrete printing for high-end villa developments – starting with Stayzation Lifestyle’s land parcel in Lonavala.