Linking the construction industry with computer technologies has been formed over the years and today the benefits of it are obvious to specialists in various fields. Virtual modeling tools are mainly used, allowing the development of architectural and design projects with high accuracy. But this does not limit the potential of new technologies. Recently, the popularization of 3D printing printers has begun, which work based on the same design solutions with virtual components. A continuation of the concept was a construction 3D printer. In Russia, Andrey Rudenko is mastering this idea, proposing quick way construction of walls and some engineering structures. Similar technologies are also being developed in China, Holland and the USA.
Printing molds for metal casting
Unlike conventional mold production, where just making models or boxes can take weeks, even complex sand molds can be 3D printed essentially overnight or in a few days. After the printing process, the mold must be unpacked, i.e. freed from excess sand.
In addition to the shortened production period, design freedom is much less than with conventional products. Designs can be made structurally correct without the need to pay attention to chamfering, dividing lines or undercuts. And gating systems can be individually adapted to parameters, such as pouring pressure, to avoid turbulence and improve quality.
General technological process
In general, the process repeats traditional construction. Work also begins with the development of a general concept of the building, drawing up a design solution and selecting materials. Initial stages construction may also include the use computer modeling- in any case, direct installation activities will use the power of computers.
Today, innovative foundries also rely on a combination of 3D printed cores and conventionally derived molds where appropriate. This approach is particularly useful in the production of complex cores with undercuts, as required, for example, for running wheels. The benefits are not only a reduction in the number of parts and significantly lower mold construction costs, since the time-consuming conventional production and assembly of complex cores is no longer required, subsequent machining work is also reduced.
Next, a concrete mixture is formed, on the basis of which the walls will be laid out. Actually, the first models of construction printers could only perform simple tasks of laying wall structures. Modern devices provide not only the ability to arrange structures of various configurations, but also to complement the construction stages with insulation and cladding work. Of course, we are not yet talking about the construction of full-fledged completed facilities, however, equipment manufacturers are striving for the idea of construction that does not involve post-processing.
Another interesting alternative that increasingly skilled foundry engineers are choosing is parallel production of durable molds and 3D printing of sand molds. Since printed sand molds are immediately available, the first pieces can be poured for testing purposes to optimize the tools being built. This option is in many cases faster and more economical than a purely classic mold design.
In terms of mold stability and strength, 3D printing and classic mold design are on the same level. This process allows simple and uncomplicated production of waxes. Wax models are no longer made of wax, but of plastic, but this does not matter for later stages of the process.
Construction technique
Technologically this method similar to work regular printers for three-dimensional printing. Only the traditional version involves the formation of small-sized objects from special masses based on plastics and polymers. In the case of construction equipment, there are two fundamental differences. Firstly, these are the dimensions of the printer. Depending on the version and features of the technological process, it can match the dimensions of both a truck crane and a small truck. Secondly, the construction 3D printer uses concrete mortar as a working mass. The mixture is also supplied through a special extruder operating in automatic mode.
Advantages of 3D printing in casting
To improve quality during the model melting process, plastic models are still penetrated with wax, giving them a particularly finely porous and uniform surface. In addition to the cost-effective and cost-effective model, the process is also evaluated with impressive time savings. Of course it's big Mailbox Can also be used to print complete small batches in a print job.
The construction sector has been swept up in digital transformation. As is the case in other sectors, this will affect all processes associated with construction. Now it's about implementation. This opens up many new opportunities for civil engineers, for example in the areas of construction planning, construction supervision and quality assurance. Thus, the work of a civil engineer is even more closely related to mechanical engineering and construction.
High accuracy of operations, by the way, is determined precisely by the precise positioning of the printer head. Thus, it is possible to lay foundations, walls, ceilings, staircases and other structures. Depending on the printer model, small openings, utility holes and communication niches can be made. In some cases, a construction 3D printer allows you to form special holes for the further introduction of reinforcing bars.
The challenge is to make digital planning data useful for the construction site. Suppose a technically interested person spent 20 years as a hermit in the desert. Now he sums up his seven things and returns from the forest to the city. He is interested in what has been technically accomplished over the past two decades. So he visits factories - and is amazed by the new machines and digital interfaces. There are no questions, there is a lot here, the innovations are obvious. Subsequently, he visits the construction site - and thinks: obviously, everything is the same.
Features of Chinese 3D construction
Chinese developers are pioneers in this area of construction. They created a technology according to which you can build a house in a day. Another thing is that the building will be budget and will have the inherent disadvantages of cheap housing in this category. In this case, not only concrete mixture, but also environmentally friendly industrial waste is used as the basis for the building mass. This decision is due to the desire to reduce the cost of the process.
The same device as 20 years ago is still on paper. Innovation is unlikely to be detected at first glance. She is not only a researcher, but also a mediator between two worlds. On the one hand, there is mechanical engineering, intensified through the world, and, on the other hand, building construction, an industry that, in terms of innovation, considers it “worthy”. One thing is clear: the industry, which is rather sluggish and innovative, has problems portraying itself to the younger generation. Especially with digital natives who are now entering professional life and who are used to digital tools being part of the world of life.
In addition, 3D construction using Chinese technology involves the inclusion of fiberglass in the main composition. This significantly improves the quality of the result, since lightweight composite reinforcement not only outperforms traditional metal in a number of strength indicators and weight, but also simplifies the installation process. Moreover, in the case of the printer, crushed fiberglass is used in the mass itself, which eliminates the design from the disadvantages that arise when introducing metal reinforcement into finished openings.
According to Brell-Kokkan, there are still real "data leaks" on construction sites. It should be assumed that no more than one percent of the data from construction site planning processes is important. So what is the use of the most innovative digital planning tools when 99 percent of data is lost?
“Building robots will play a critical role in bridging these digital data leaks on the construction site,” says the researcher. Therefore, robots must not only prepare components, but also collect, provide and evaluate data on construction sites.
Dutch technology
Dutch engineers are exploring several other directions to promote the concept of a construction printer. They focus not on laying mixtures as such, but on the production of building materials and structures. The production of ceramic bricks, which are produced through an extruder from a mass of cinder blocks, has become quite successful.
But how does a robot work on a construction site? These innovations have a sense of sensitivity through their sensors. Once he has found his place, he can find his optimal position using search algorithms to start with his assembly work, for example. But robots are not the only hope for digital developments in the construction industry. Progress in this area is enormous - especially in relation to the construction industry.
The technology's enormous potential lies in the development and printing of materials with new properties. This concrete still lacks the strength that will be used for load-bearing walls in construction. Large construction companies such as Ed. Concrete from a printer, robots in construction: What do these technical innovations mean for work on a construction site?
Low cost of raw materials and minimum costs The production of the material itself makes this technology financially justifiable. But the process of building houses did not go unnoticed. The fact is that a 3D printer for building houses produces blocks with a conical shape, which eliminates the need for workers to use binding mixtures. Also, some companies are mastering frame construction of buildings. In this case, the printer prints full-fledged mounting panels, from which house kits are subsequently formed.
Are there any concerns that the work of civil engineers will sooner or later be solved by digital systems? Basically, be well prepared for these new challenges. They consider it structured and processes tend to have a basic understanding of programming languages. An important characteristic is also a large amount of curiosity and the ability to think differently. At the end of the day, it's about developing truly new strategies.
Thus, companies will soon be “equipped with digital tools with precision material, reducing storage and transportation costs and increasing efficiency,” the authors write. Materials are provided by the company on electronic portals; Building materials suppliers used smart machines and applications to create a network in which “all production processes can be planned in advance.” In the future, marketing and sales also used digital sales applications to convince dealers and customers.
Serial production of printers
So far, the creators of construction printers have not decided to fully present their products on the market. 
Although there are certainly such attempts. It is enough to note the BetAbram model and the domestic developments of the SpetsAvia enterprise. At the same time, devices available to a wide range of consumers can be divided into two classes. This is a large-sized construction 3D printer, which has virtually no restrictions on the construction of standard buildings in terms of size, as well as small devices, included in the rail complexes. The second option is more affordable in terms of finance and allows you to change the design depending on the requirements for construction tasks.
This vision of tomorrow shows that innovation in a building doesn't just impact a few installed screws: innovation will "in fact impact every level of the value chain," according to the study. Therefore, civil engineers are encouraged to be amenable to modern digital innovations.
The purpose of providence is to use local materials such as loam as building material to build houses in an economical and sustainable manner. Organs, weapons, tools, houses - now everything can be printed. Photographing the desired objects gradually three-dimensional objects. Additive manufacturing differs from conventional manufacturing techniques, in which excess material is removed until the endowed product remains.
Additional option
The construction process in the classical sense involves performing many operations. This is not only laying walls, installing partitions and installing structures under the roof, but also facing work, laying communications and arranging openings. In almost all modern versions, a 3D printer for building houses allows you to lay concrete mixtures. However, for other operations, manufacturers provide auxiliary devices. For example, for installation work on the same roof, a hydraulic lift is offered, and for finishing work you can use a high-pressure washer.
Additionally, the plastic used can be recovered from recycled plastic waste. 3D printing is generally the process of choice for inventors and inventors as it renders ideas more easily, faster and cheaper than hand-crafted polystyrene foam, plywood or die-cast models. Complex shapes no longer need to be properly designed for production as the complexity of the layer printing process does not play a role. In addition, the printing result can be continuously improved in series production and adapted to individual needs.
Some versions also provide improvements to the basic capabilities of the equipment. For example, a mortar mixer saves the user from preparing the concrete mixture himself. It is possible to create an optimal mass with the characteristics provided by the technology. Building houses using a printer also requires special power supplies. To organize this part, the developers offer input wiring and power supply cabinets.
Or it doesn't even go into mass production. While one part costs a fortune in conventional production logic, and the product can only be expected if it can be passed thousands of times along the tape, these scale effects disappear. Significant changes are also taking place in logistics and storage: instead of ordering spare parts for a broken machine from China and transporting it around the world, parts can simply be reprinted on site according to manufacturers' designs.
Entire supply chains for factories could be replaced by local printing and services. Who needs large warehouses then, when an offer can be made at the touch of a button within a few hours? This not only reduces the capital tied up in commodities, but also the risk of falling on excess commodities.
Advantages of construction printers
Construction by new technology It is advisable to use only in some areas. In particular, it is noted high quality when laying monolithic structures. Creating a foundation, for example, is noticeably superior in speed and performance to traditional techniques. Some developments relate specifically to the replacement of vibrocompression of concrete mass, since automation of construction in the form of precise layer-by-layer formation of screed eliminates the formation of air voids. By and large, such printers increase the speed of the process and optimize it, which is what attracts large companies.
Last but not least, 3D printing can give an extra boost to an open-ended idea. source code. Users around the world can share their ideas and projects. However, some people also see a real danger in the Internet of ideas. Then, as now, international obligations must be developed to protect designers' intellectual property. A large community that still divides free projects with each other will most likely not cease to exist.
However, 3D printing was first used almost exclusively in large companies for prototyping for many years until it became more and more important due to the increase in precision and speed of production, while reducing the costs of a key branch of technology for mass production. market. For example, it cost several thousand euros at the beginning and came to households after the price fell. This technology is still very young and only at the beginning of its spiral effectiveness. This also applies to the cost of utility in households, which nowadays rarely exceeds the plastic toys described.
Disadvantages of construction printers
Even in modern versions, construction printing equipment is not capable of providing a full cycle of installation and repair operations. Despite the desire of manufacturers and technologists to bring closer the reality of eliminating the need for post-construction, this idea is still very far away. In addition, practice shows that even in its current form, the technology (building houses using 3D printing) is inferior to skilled manual labor. The screed is performed with no less high quality by an experienced team of builders. This also applies to traditional wall masonry. However, the printer still wins in terms of speed of operations and accuracy.
Question of price
One of the main factors that hinders the spread of such technology is cost. And yet, in specialized areas there is considerable demand for a construction 3D printer. Price of serial equipment entry level is about 700-800 thousand rubles. For this amount, you can count on limited functionality, which, nevertheless, is enough for high-quality concrete coatings, the creation of walls and foundations. Such devices will not cope with complex technological operations.
Units that are capable of erecting the entire frame structure of houses are widely used, but they are also expensive. As a rule, this is a massive construction 3D printer, the price of which is on average 2-3 million. It should be taken into account that special materials in the form of working mixtures will be required - also at rather high prices.
Conclusion
Despite all the shortcomings, experts note the promise of this area of construction technology. At this stage, it is too early to talk about the economic feasibility of introducing such developments to the market with the expectation of commercial success. And the point is not only that a construction 3D printer is expensive, and its best qualities manifests itself only in individual works. As a rule, the capabilities of such equipment turn out to be uncompetitive when compared with traditional manual force. The only obvious advantage justifying the use of such a technique is that high speed construction. But, again, this area has only been developing for a few years, and it is possible that in the near future developers will take a new step in promoting construction printing.
Russia has its own 3D construction printers. They can print not only small structures made of plaster or concrete, but also entire buildings:True, these buildings are not yet being created too tall (the technology has not yet been fully tested in practice), but they are quite suitable for low-rise dacha construction.
The ideological inspiration for Russian entrepreneurs was the Russian engineer Andrei Rudenko, who lives in the USA (in Minnesota). Using a developed 3D construction printer, he first built this castle on his site:
And then he firmly decided to build real houses using his 3D printer.
And he turned the idea into reality. True, for this he had to transport his 3D printer to the Philippines - it was there that he found his partner. In addition, the climate of the Philippines is warm all year round, and this is very important for creating this kind of buildings.
They managed to build a small hotel complex with an area of approximately 120 square meters in the Philippines. Consisting of two rooms and a Jacuzzi bath (which was also created from concrete using 3D printing).
You can see how it happened in this exciting video:
Of course, it initially took several months to assemble and set up the printer, searching for a suitable mixture in the Philippines.
But once you set it up, you can use it to start churning out new houses quite quickly. And they are 60 percent cheaper than those built in the traditional way.
During the construction of the hotel, the construction printer had to be stopped to carry out the necessary work: water supply, sewerage, electricity.
But the net operating time of a construction robot is 100 hours.
This is how the hotel created using 3D printing turned out in the end:
And this mini-hotel is already operating and welcoming guests.
And the creator of the 3D printer, Andrei Rudenko, has developed several models of his printers and is already selling them at prices ranging from 300 thousand dollars to 5 million dollars.
What makes the Russian engineer’s construction 3D printers different from printers from other manufacturers is that they lay concrete very carefully. The print quality is very high:
Russian construction 3D printers may not produce the same quality (although compared to some Western manufacturers their products look much better), but they are cheaper.
One of the manufacturers, the company Specavia (Krasnoyarsk, its website is specavia.pro), sells its printers from 890 thousand rubles to 2.5 million rubles. And with their help you can also build small houses. And not only in warm countries, but also in cold Russia. The main thing is to create the right project and apply the right technologies. This is stated in the video from Spetsavia:
Read also articles from Specavia on the page specavia.pro/articls/. Here the company gives not only useful recommendations, but also talks about entrepreneurs who are already using their 3D printers in action. For example, an entrepreneur from Yekaterinburg decided to build a castle from “Game of Thrones” using such a printer:
And in one village in the Yaroslavl region, at the request of residents, a dome for a chapel was created using a construction 3D printer:
And in the village of Tunoshna (Yaroslavl region) they are going to print (or have already printed) the entire chapel on a 3D printer.
If you understand something about construction and the topic of using construction 3D printers is interesting to you, you can try printing houses in Russia on Russian 3D printers (quickly and innovatively).
