News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Though we often write about how 3D printing is impacting automotive design, we don’t often see the technology being used to augment the display of a vehicle. As BMW recently demonstrated, however, 3D printing can be used to take an automotive unveiling to a whole new level.
Shanghai has officially unveiled its latest piece of innovative architecture: a 15-meter-long 3D printed footbridge. The pedestrian bridge, 3D printed in partnership with Polymaker, a Chinese developer of 3D printing materials, is the first of its kind in China.
After years of R&D, German industrial binder jetting 3D printer manufacturer voxeljet has perfected 3D printing for complex formworks and now sees the construction industry as a key growth area for its binder jetting technology in the future. The large format binder jetting process from voxeljet has been proven to be particularly helpful for complex 3D printed formworks, breaking away from traditional systems and their stringent geometrical limitation
Singapore-based construction 3D printing company Hamilton Labs has dedicated a portion of its work to the development and production of sanitation systems—such as household and community toilets—to improve public health in India. The company’s work, a response to the Indian government’s Swachh Bharat Mission (which translates to “Clean India Mission”), is now being taken to the next level with the launch of an entry level, gantry-based concrete 3D printer.
After years of research, development, and capital investment, S-Squared 3D Printers (SQ3D), a desktop 3D printer manufacturer from Patchogue, NY, became the latest company to venture into the fascinating realm of construction 3D printing by presenting its patent-pending Autonomous Robotic Construction System, (ARCS).
Proponents of construction 3D printing say the technology could be disruptive in the industry, offering a more flexible and cost-friendly way to quickly construct housing. These benefits, along with the ability to construct buildings in remote locations (by working with local building materials), have apparently caught the attention of the Conference Board of Canada which will explore construction 3D printing for building homes in Canada’s northern and indigenous communities.
With all the excitement of Formnext, we missed an important date this week: November 19th, otherwise known as World Toilet Day. No, World Toilet Day isn’t akin to World Pancake Day, it is a real event organized by the United Nations as a call to action to overcome the world’s sanitation crisis. To mark the observance day, SPARK Architects, a Singapore, Shanghai and London-based architecture firm introduced its Big Arse Toilet concept, an easily transportable 3D printed toilet.
COBOD International, the construction 3D printing branch of Danish company 3D Printhuset, has received a grant to put towards developing the next generation construction 3D printer. The grant is part of the N3XTCON project, which itself has over 2 million euros in support from the Innovation Fund Denmark.
German PERI Group, a leading manufacturer of formwork and scaffolding systems, has reportedly acquired a significant minority stake in newly established construction 3D printing company COBOD International. The construction AM firm was established by Danish company 3D Printhuset in September of this year in an effort to refocus its construction AM business.
ICON, a Texas-based construction tech company that made headlines earlier this year for its low-cost 3D printed home, has announced that it has raised a whopping $9 million in funding. The money, raised through a seed round led by Oakhouse Partners, will enable ICON to continue its mission of transforming construction using new technologies with the ultimakte goal of making housing more affordable, durable and sustainable.