News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Dutch company Vertico continues to grow in large-scale concrete printing, revolutionizing the construction industry with its technology and on-demand 3D printing services. With over 40 installations in more than 20 countries, Vertico has now firmly established a global presence, providing innovative solutions that help clients bring ambitious projects to life.
COBOD, via its CEO Henrik Lund-Nielsen, has officially presented the next-generation BOD3 Construction 3D Printer, the company’s most advanced 3D printing system to date, developed meticulously over the past few years.
In the construction sector, 3D printing has been touted as a promising solution to building low-cost and more sustainable housing. Based on this premise, 3D printing construction specialist ICON launched Initiative 99 back in 2023, a contest that invited all manner of designers and architects to come up with 3D printed home designs that could be built for $99,000 or less. JK3D, the design studio founded by artist and 3D printing expert Julia Koerner, was awarded Honorable Mention in the contest for its Cactus Homes concept.
The government of Uttar Pradesh, India, has announced plans to build the state’s first 3D printed art gallery in the temple town of Ayodhya. This initiative is part of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision to transform Ayodhya into a hub of cultural grandeur and planned development.
Enel Green Power, in partnership with the Federico II University in Naples, has successfully pioneered the use of 3D printing technology to construct permanent concrete structures in a seismic zone, a first for Italy. The project, carried out at the Montalto di Castro power plant in the Lazio region, represents a significant innovation in the construction and energy sectors. These structures are part of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at the Alessandro Volta power plant, designed to store excess electricity generated by the plant. The structures include a small industrial building and the foundations for key electrical equipment, marking a new era in sustainable construction.
Versarien, an advanced materials engineering group, has signed an agreement with Balfour Beatty, a leading international infrastructure group, to develop a range of low-carbon, graphene-infused, 3D printable mortars suitable for civil construction. The goals for the project are to develop innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective 3D printable mortars suitable for civil construction, while establishing a robust UK-based supply chain and demonstrating their efficacy in real-world applications.
The University of Florida (UF) has acquired one of the most advanced 3D construction printers in the US – COBOD International’s BOD3. This two-story printer, which weighs 27,000 pounds, is the first of COBOD’s third-generation models sold in the US. The printer was shipped to UF in pieces and assembled on campus, where it will be housed in the Weil Hall Structures and Materials Lab within the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering.
Mega retailer Walmart has commissioned what is being recognized as one of the largest free-standing 3D printed commercial building in the United States. The large-scale construction 3D printing project, which spans nearly 8,000 square feet and is nearly 20 feet tall, was carried out in partnership with Colorado-based Alquist 3D, which specializes in robotic concrete 3D printing.
UCC Holding, a leading construction and infrastructure company in Qatar, has signed a contract with COBOD, Denmark’s top manufacturer of concrete 3D printers, to supply the world’s largest third-generation 3D printers which will be used to build schools in Qatar. The signing ceremony took place in Doha with Mr. Ramez Al Khayyat, President of UCC Holding, and Mr. Henrik Lund-Nielsen, CEO and Founder of COBOD, along with other dignitaries and key stakeholders.
Hotelier Liz Lambert and ICON, a leading construction 3D printing company, have begun building the first 3D printed hotel and residences in Marfa, Texas. Designed by the BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, the relocation, and expansion of El Cosmico to a 60+ acre property will showcase entirely new architectural approaches made possible by large-scale 3D printing including domes, arches, vaults, and parabolic forms. The development will feature El Cosmico guest accommodations, new hospitality programming (including a pool, bathhouse, and restaurant), and private residences.