3D Construction Printing

A Worldwide overview

Henrik Lund-Nielsen, CEO, MBA

- 3D Construction Printing Consultants, based in Denmark
- Visited and analysed +35 3D Construction Printing projects worldwide over 3 year period
- Build own mini test concrete printer
- Tested and measured various 3d concrete printing materials
- Own analytic tool for analyzing the various concepts/projecting
- Organized biggest North European 3D construction printing conference in the beginning of 2017

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Agenda

• Introduction to 3D Construction Printing

• 3D Printing Technologies used in 3D

Construction Printing

• The Pioneers – how 3D Construction Printing started

• A Worldwide overview

• Examples of the first 3D printed construction

projects in the world
Why 3D Construction Printing ?

The
4 main purposes
• Landscape
Design freedom (complexity is free) house

• Automatisation
• Lower cost/higher productivity lag p Contour
• Zero mistakes Crafting
• Better safety Concept
• More precision (Khosnevis)

• Reduction of waste
• New materials

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 5

What is 3D Printing good for ?

▶ 3D printing characteristics

▶ There is no added cost for complexity

▶ The printer does not care what it is printing
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▶ Perfect for custom made parts
▶ Perfect for ”one of a kind”
▶ But not cheap parts

=> Ideal basis for constructions

 3DMarketkonstruktionsMaturityype/kategorier

Introduktion Vækst Modenhed Mætning Mulig

udvikling
Revenue Fornyet

vækst
Now
Exploration

Audience Innovators Early Adopter Every Majority Late Majority Laggard

Market Small Expanding High Peaked Contracting
Price Very High High High Medium Low
Sales Low Expanding High Flattening Moderate
Competition Low Increasing Moderate High Moderate
Business Focus Awareness Growth Market share Customer Retention Transition
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The 3D Printing Technologies Used in
3D Construction Printing
▶ Printer Type: Powder bed or layer by layer

▶ Movements: Typical movement systems for the

printhead

▶ Location: In SITU or off site

▶ The Printed Object: Load bearing or Hollow

▶ Other printer types/technologies

Printer Type : Exstrusion (FDM) – Layer by layer

Concept Pros & Cons

The building material is typically a • + Geometrical freedom in XY
concrete mixture deposited by a • + Mechanically simple construction
XYZ movable Nozzle system. • - Geometrical limitation In Z (now)
• - Visible and physical
layer problems
Printer Type : Powder bed

Concept Pros & Cons

Full layers of the building material is • + Geometrical freedom in XY and Z
deposited as a powder bed. The • + Better finnish because of thin
powder is then infiltrated with a binder layers
where the geometry has to be solid for • - Slow/ Long post processing time
the specific layer. Process is repeated. • - The object has to be dug out
Printer XYZ Movement : Gantry

Concept Pros & Cons

The printhead is moved in XY and • + Stable and secure construction
Z with a gantry system. Printing • + Simple and cheap construction
occurs within the boundries of the • - Flexibility
system • Hard to move from place to place
• Takes up a lot of space
Printer XYZ Movement : Robotic arm / Crane

Concept Pros & Cons

This platform is rooted in the center • + Smaller mechanical system
of the print area in comparison to • + Easy movable
sorrounding the object. The nozzle is • - Price
fixed on a robotic arm or a computer • - Print Area/limited reach (unless
driven crane system. mounted on a moving platform)
Location : In Situ

Concept Pros & Cons

The Construction is built on site. • + Full construction in one go
Either very close to where it has to • + Less freight of elements
stay or built right on the spot. • - Varying weather parameters
• - The 3D Printer has to be
shipped and kept under roof
Location : Off Site (Prefab Construction)

Concept Pros & Cons

Prefab elements are 3D Printed in a • + Stabilitet in a stationary system
production area where the 3D Printer is • + Stable weather parameters (indoor)
stationary. After production the elements • - Shipping of elements
are shipped to the construction site. • - More manual labour required on the
construction site
Printet Object : Load Bearing Vs. Formwork

Load Bearing Formwork

Load bearing constructions or The outer shell of the construction is
concepts only working in pressure. 3D Printed – when 3D Printing is done
Limited load bearing capability the construction is armed and cast in
traditional way (with poured concrete)
to increase load bearing capability.
Other printer types/technologies :
Branch Technology

Concept Pros & Cons

Freeform 3D Printinting of grid- • + Freeform structures based on “prefab”
structure in plastics. After the print the method
insulation, concrete, plaster or other • + The extruded grid is easy to
building materials can be ship (lightweight)
added/sprayed on. • - More manual labour on the the site.
Other printer types/technologies : MIT &
Nantes University

Concept Pros & Cons

Formworks 3D printing of insulation • + Fast printing
foam (EPS) – concrete poured in • + Integrated (and solved) insulation issue
afterwards • + On site
• - Complex connections required to interior
part
Other printer types/technologies :
Fastbrick Robotics & Pixelstone MiniBuilders

Fastbrick Robotics & Pixelstone MiniBuilders

• Automatic brick deposition • 3D Printing robots – runs and drives on
• Fastbrick: Full constructions the printed object.
• Pixelstone: Exterior ecoration • Able to print big size without a big
printer.
• Different robots have different tasks.
 The Pioneers – A historical view

1995:
Professor Berok Khoshnevis of University of
Southern California in LA takes out patent
on ceramic extrusion

2000:
2003: 2008:
Khoshnevis focuses on 3D construction
Ruper Soar, Loughborough University gets funded Loughborough begins to 3D print
printing and makes the concept
for upscaling 3D printing to construction purposes concrete (Skanska) – and
Contour Crafting
Khoshnevis got funding for NASA
project.

2005:
Enrico Dini, Pisa, Italy, takes out patent
for the D-Shape technology (binder
jetting)

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Professor Berok Khoshnevis (UCSC, US), 2000;
The “father” of the concept of 3D construction

Concept Pros & Cons

Mobile Gatry system where crane and robot • + Theoretically well described projects
can extrude not only the building material, But • Backed by 111 patents
it can also include other elements directly on • + Advanced printhead designs with three
the building site. The concept are of gantry extruders – outer wall and infill in one go.
types that are removed after printing. • - Very little done in real life
Professor Rupert Soar;
University of Loughborough, UK - 2003

Concept Pros & Cons

Focused on architectural possibilities with 3D Print • + Interesting shapes produced
in construction. Mostly single elements for for • + Many test of recepies and their compr.
example facades (produced off site). Has been Strength.
working closely together with Skanska and ABB • + Strenghts of up to 100 MPA obtained
since 2014. • - Very little done in practice (theoretical
– University).
 D-Shape, Italy/UK, Enrico Dini, 2005
First commercial pioneer

Unique technology Complex forms

The ability to build complex forms,
Powder material (clay)
The 3D printer injects a binder to difficult with conventional formwork
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solidify the powder. construction
Worldwide Overview – 3D Construction Printing

• Hard to make –
• New projects every month / week.
• Many projects in ”stealth” mode – hiding project untill they have
something good to show.
• Quick Snapshot
• +44 projects worldwide (most visited by LP)
• Europe: 24 significant projects
• USA: 12 significant projects
• Asia: 8 significant projects

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Gartners hype cycle – Expectations

3D Construction
Printing

Explanation: A potential Early publicity Reduced interst More instances of Mainstream

technological produces a as experiments how the technology adaptation starts
breakthrough Number of and projects can benefit start to to take off
Starts things off success stories fail to deliver crystalize and become
more wiedely understood
Printer Process : Levels of integration
Focus so far for existing 3D Construction Printing projects
Finish/interior

Plumbing and
electricity

insulation
Beton
Reinforcement

Concrete

Number of projects

The projects we have seen focus mostly on printing the raw house (in concrete). In the
future we will see more and more that other parts become in focus.
Europe Europe
Europæiske(excl.Russia) projekter
- Most projects – 24+, but still today
very little actually build for real, except
a bridge in Spain. Maybe due to
difficulties to live up to regulations
- High labour costs makes automation a
huge plus.
Holland
- Holland is dominating with 7 projects.
- Universities involved a lot (TUE,
Lille, Lund, ETH, Dresden,
Loughborough and more)
 USA
US- Foundingprojekterfathersof the concept – 3D construction printing (Khoshnevis)
- Conceptually and theoretically very well-founded (Khoshnevis)
- Very few actual projects or buildings –maybe because of patents. (Rudenko – Totalkostum) and because of difficulties
with living up to regulations
- Universities involved (UCSC, Berkeley, Oak Ridge)
- American projects getting funded big time now (Khosnevis/Cazza )

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Asia
Asian(Incl.RussiaprojekterandAustralia)
- Fewest projects , 8, but actually leading
on buildings actually made with 3D
Printing; maybe because regulations are
easier to live up to
- Most Known: Winsun (China) and Apis
Cor (Russia). Both in process of attracting
capital/partners

- All Projects are commercial projects –

almost no universities ( only Singapore)

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Example of the first 3D
Printed Constructions

• Hotel suite, Manila, 2015

• Apartment building, China, 2015
• Office building, Dubai, 2016
• Bridge, Spain 2017
• Private house, Russia, 2017

• Skyscraper, Dubai, 2018 ???

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First 3D Printed hotel suite 2015
- TotalKustom (Rudenko)
- Manilla, Philippines

Concept Pros & Cons

Gantry extrusion 3D printer producing In Situ. • + First printed building actually printed and used
Materials for the hotel suite was 2000 USD and • + Software controls printspeed which can be
was printed in 10 days (30 cm pr. day - 2 varied depending on shape, humidity and
workers). Installations were manually installed temperature
while layers were drying. • - Focus: raw house (no insulation etc. in process)
• - TotalKustom is almost a “one-man band”
First 3D Printed Apartment Building, 2015
- Winsun
- Suzhou, Kina

Concept Pros & Cons

Giant (150m*14m*8m) gantry extrusion • + Actually built apartments (not used yet)
printer producing elements in a production • + Most commercial project in this field
site. Manual labour used for assembly, rebar (dubai)
reinforcment and concreting (casting) on site • - Limited usage of 3D Posibilities
to enhance the Strength. • - Does not differ much from known prefab
yet./does not utilize 3D print advantages
First 3D printed office, 2016
- Winsun
- Dubai

Concept Pros & Cons

Elements produced in China (Winsun), • + Acutal building in use
exported and then assembled and finnished at • - Most work is still manual labour.
the building site in Dubai. Winsun needs indoor • - Does not differ much from traditional
production facilities within 300 km of all places prefab/least disruptive concept
where buildings are to be made (goal).
First 3D printed bridge, 2016
- D-Shape/Enrico Dini
- Spain

Concept Pros & Cons

Powder bed printing. • + Acutally made
Off site construction of elements • + Advance shape/form
Assembled on site • - Reinforced required on site
Made by construction company Acciona
First 3D printed private house
- Apis Cor
- Russia

Concept
Crane 3D Printing in concrete. In situ printing. Formworks printed, concrete poured in.
1 million hits on video on youtube

• Apis cor claims the house was printed in 24 hours – was it?
Cazza

Concept
Track mounted robot with additional arm and printhead.
Robot must be mowed to upper floors as floors are being build
Few details known and available
Printers can be pre-ordered now
Thank you

Henrik Lund-Nielsen
CEO, MBA
Larsen & Partners A/S
Dr. Tvaergade 26, 1302 Copenhagen K, DENMARK

Web site EMAIL

LarsenPartners.com [email protected]

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