3D PRINTING

• Construction 3D Printing (c3Dp) or 3D Construction Printing

(3DCP) refers to various technologies that use 3D printing as a core
method to fabricate buildings or construction components.
Alternative terms are also in use, such as Large scale Additive
Manufacturing (LSAM), or Freeform construction (FC), also to refer to
sub-groups, such as '3D Concrete', used to refer to concrete extrusion
technologies.
• There are a variety of 3D printing methods used at construction scale,
these include the following main methods: extrusion (concrete/
cement, wax, foam, polymers), powder bonding (polymer bond,
reactive bond, sintering) and additive welding. 3D printing at a
construction scale will have a wide variety of applications within the The building-on-demand (BOD) by COBOD International, a
small office hotel building, with a 3D printed wall and
private, commercial, industrial and public sectors. Potential foundation structure. The first building of its kind in Europe.
advantages of these technologies include faster construction, lower
labor costs, increased complexity and/or accuracy, greater integration
of function and less waste produced.
• A number of different approaches have been demonstrated to date
which include on-site and off-site fabrication of buildings and
construction components, using industrial robots, gantry systems and
tethered autonomous vehicles. Demonstrations of construction 3D
printing technologies to date have included fabrication of housing,
construction components (cladding and structural panels and
columns), bridges and civil infrastructure[1], artificial reefs, follies and
sculptures.
• The technology has seen a significant increase in
popularity in recent years with many new
companies, including some backed up by prominent
names from the construction industry and
academia. This led to several important milestones,
such as the first 3D printed building, the first 3D
printed bridge the first 3D printed part in a public
building, the first living 3D printed building in Europe
and CIS, the first 3D printed building in Europe fully
approved by the authorities (COBOD International),
among many others.
 HISTORY
• Seeding technologies 1950 - 1995
• Robotic bricklaying was conceptualized and explored in the 1950s and related technology
development around automated construction began in the 1960s, with pumped concrete and
isocyanate foams. Development of automated fabrication of entire buildings using slip forming
techniques and robotic assembly of components, akin to 3D printing, were pioneered in Japan
to address the dangers of building high rise buildings by Shimizu and Hitachi in the 1980s and
1990s.Many of these early approaches to on-site automation foundered because of the
construction 'bubble', their inability to respond to novel architectures and the problems of
feeding and preparing materials to the site in built up areas.
• Early developments 1995 - 2000
• Early construction 3D printing development and research have been under way since 1995. Two methods
were invented, one by Joseph Pegna which was focused on a sand/cement forming technique which
utilized steam to selectively bond the material in layers or solid parts, though this technique was never
demonstrated.
• The second technique, Contour Crafting by Behrohk Khoshnevis, initially began as a novel ceramic extrusion
and shaping method, as an alternative to the emerging polymer and metal 3D printing techniques, and was
patented in 1995. Khoshnevis realized that this technique could exceed these techniques where "current
methods are limited to fabrication of part dimensions that are generally less than one meter in each
dimension". Around 2000, Khoshnevis's team at USC Vertibi began to focus on construction scale 3D
printing of cementitious and ceramic pastes, encompassing and exploring automated integration of
modular reinforcement, built-in plumbing and electrical services, within one continuous build process. This
technology has only been tested at lab scale to date and controversially and allegedly formed the basis for
recent efforts in China.
 DESIGN
• Architect James Bruce Gardiner pioneered architectural design for
Construction 3D Printing with two projects. The first Freefab
Tower 2004 and the second Villa Roccia 2009-2010. FreeFAB
Tower was based on the original concept to combine a hybrid
form of construction 3D printing with modular construction. This
was the first architectural design for a building focused on the use
of Construction 3D Printing. Influences can be seen in various
designs used by Winsun, including articles on the Winsun's
original press release and office of the future The FreeFAB Tower
project also depicts the first speculative use of multi-axis robotic
arms in construction 3D printing, the use of such machines within
construction has grown steadily in recent years with projects by
MX3D and Branch Technology
• The Villa Roccia 2009-2010 took this pioneering work a step
further with the a design for a Villa at Porto Rotondo, Sardinia,
Italy in collaboration with D-Shape. The design for the Villa
focused on the development of a site specific architectural
language influenced by the rock formations on the site and along
the coast of Sardinia, while also taking into account the use of a
panellised prefabricated 3D printing process. The project went
through prototyping and didn't proceed to full construction.
 STRUCTURES
• 3D PRINTED BUILDINGS
• The 3D Print Canal House was the first full-scale construction project of its kind to get off the ground. In just a short space of time, the
Kamermaker has been further developed to increase its production speed by 300%. However, progress has not been swift enough to
claim the title of 'World's First 3D Printed House'.
• The first residential building in Europe and the CIS, constructed using the 3D printing construction technology, was the home in
Yaroslavl (Russia) with the area of 298,5 sq. m. The walls of the building were printed by the company SPECAVIA in December 2015.
600 elements of the walls were printed in the shop and assembled at the construction site. After completing the roof structure and
interior decoration, the company presented a fully finished 3D building in October 2017. The peculiarity of this project is that for the
first time in the world the entire technological cycle of construction has been passed: design, obtaining a building permit, registration
of the building, connection of all engineering systems. An important feature of 3D house in Yaroslavl, that also distinguishes this
project from other implemented ones - this is not a presentation structure, but rather a full-fledged residential building. Today it is
home of a real, ordinary, family.
• Dutch and Chinese demonstration projects are slowly constructing 3D-printed buildings in China, Dubai and the Netherlands. Using
the effort to educate the public to the possibilities of the new plant-based building technology and to spur greater innovation in 3D
printing of residential buildings. A small concrete house was 3D-printed in 2017.
• The Building on Demand (BOD), the first 3D printed house in Europe, is a project led by COBOD International (formerly known as
3DPrinthuset, now its sister company) for a small 3D printed office hotel in Copenhagen, Nordhavn area. The building is also the first
3D printed permanent building, with all permits in place and fully approved by the authorities. As of 2018, the building stands fully
completed and furbished
• 3D PRINTED BRIDGES
• In Spain, the first pedestrian bridge printed in 3D in the world (3DBRIDGE) was inaugurated 14th of December
of 2016 in the urban park of Castilla-La Mancha in Alcobendas, Madrid. The 3DBUILD technology used was
developed by ACCIONA, who was in charge of the structural design, material development and manufacturing
of 3D printed elements. The bridge has a total length of 12 meters and a width of 1.75 meters and is printed in
micro-reinforced concrete. Architectural design was done by Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia
(IAAC).
• The 3D printer used to build the footbridge was manufactured by D-Shape. The 3D printed bridge reflects the
complexities of nature’s forms and was developed through parametric design and computational design, which
allows to optimize the distribution of materials and allows to maximize the structural performance, being able
to dispose the material only where it is needed, with total freedom of forms. The 3D printed footbridge of
Alcobendasrepresented a milestone for the construction sector at international level, as large scale 3D printing
technology has been applied in this project for the first time in the field of civil engineering in a public space.
• 3D PRINTED ARCHITECTURAL FORMS
• In August 2018 in Palekh (old town in Russia) was the world's first application of additive
technology for сreating the fountain. The fountain “Snop” (Sheaf) was originally created in the
middle of the 20th century by famous sculptor Nikolai Dydykin. Nowadays, during the restoration
of the fountain, it was changed from a rectangular to a round shape. The backlight system has also
been updated. The restored fountain is 26 meters in diameter and 2.2 meters deep. The parapet of
the 3D fountain with internal communication channels was printed by the AMT construction printer
produced by AMT-SPETSAVIA group.
 CONSTRUCTION SPEED
• Claims have been made by Behrokh Khoshnevis since 2006 for 3D printing a house in a day, with further claims to
notionally complete the building in approximately 20 hours of "printer" time. By January 2013, working versions
of 3D-printing building technology were printing 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) of building material per hour, with a follow-on
generation of printers proposed to be capable of 3.5 metres (11 ft) per hour, sufficient to complete a building in a
week.
• The Chinese company WinSun has built several houses using large 3D printers using a mixture of quick drying
cement and recycled raw materials. Ten demonstration houses were said by Winsun to have been built in 24
hours, each costing US $5000 (structure not including, footings, services, doors/windows and fitout). However,
construction 3D printing pioneer Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis claims this was faked and that WinSun stole his
intellectual property
 ADVANTAGES OF 3D PRINTING

A. REDUCE COSTS
B. REDUCE TIME
C. STAY AHEAD OF COMPETITION
D. REDUCE ERRORS
E. CONFIDENTIALITY
F. PRODUCTION ON DEMAND
REDUCE COSTS
• Less machine, material and labour costs
• For any business, costs are important and one of the advantages of 3D printing is that it will help to bring costs
down. The costs are split into three different categories known as Machine Operation Costs, Labour Costs and
Material Costs.
• A. MACHINE COSTS
Machine operation costs play a very small part in the overall cost of the manufacturing process. While the energy
required to create parts in an industrial environment can prove to be high, the ability to develop and create
complex parts and products in one step creates an increased level of efficiency and saves on time. Therefore, the
cost of running the machines is offset by the savings made during the manufacturing process.
• B. LABOUR COSTS
One of the good points of 3D printing is the fact that labour costs are kept low. Unlike traditional manufacturing
where many different people may be required to operate a number of machines or a production line is required
to piece together the product, 3D printing removes this. Each 3D printer will require an operator to start the
machine before it begins an automated process of creating the uploaded design. Therefore, the labour costs are
significantly lower as there is no need for skilled machinists or operators to form part of the process.
• One of our customers said about the advantages of 3D printing: “On average it takes 2-3 design iterations before a
product design is finalized for production. This can severely impact time to market, with up to an additional 30
business days added in. The cost of the 3D printed model costs less as, without any manual labor, it only takes 2-4
hours to create a model.
• C. MATERIAL COSTS
As this is a relatively new technology that is gaining momentum, the material cost can still remain high. However,
the range of materials is growing and this makes it possible for the price to decrease over time. But, in the same
way as the machine operation costs, in comparison to traditional methods, the overall cost is a lot lower.
• It is clear by now that one of the advantages of 3D printing is that it allows for the creation of prototypes that
authenticate form and fit and most of all, the costs are a lot cheaper than those associated with other
manufacturing methods.
Along with this, the cost of complexity does not change. Creating complex mechanical products or parts requires
skill and precision and that results in an increase in cost. However, 3D printing does not require any additional
costs for complex parts as the parts can be designed prior to being uploaded for printing and are then sent for
creation in one simple process.
 A2. LESS WASTE
• Many manufacturing methods result in high costs and waste. An advantage of 3D printing is that it is unique in
the way that it only uses the required amount of material to create a part or product and that means very little
waste. While many of the more traditional methods will have waste that can be re-used or recycled it still takes
time and effort to determine just how and when the waste will be used. This makes 3D printing a very sustainable
option.
• Thermoplastic materials, for instance, can be melted, cured (cooled down such that they become solid), melted
again, cured again, and so forth. Therefore manufacturing waste can be reused (thus preventing it from becoming
“waste” in the first place).
A3. LESS TRAVEL COSTS
• We live in a world where sustainability is vital and a benefit of 3D printing is that it can also help to reduce the
amount of distance that a product will travel. As 3D printers can create a product from start to finish, it enables
designers to design the product in one country, email it to another country in preparation for production. There is
no requirement to create prototypes that have to be moved around from factory to factory in order to complete
the process. This makes 3D printing an industry that can be created around the world without leaving a footprint.
Therefore, there is a reduction in shipping, air travel and road travel. It is also possible for spare parts to be
produced on site and that can help to significantly reduce the carbon footprint.
The 3D printers from Tractus3D come with many extra 3D printing advantages. As our industrial 3D printers are
very light compared to other printers in the market, they can be easily moved around the factory.
A4. REDUCTION IN STORAGE SPACE
• Many industries require businesses to store the parts and products that they need or sell. This means that a
significant amount of storage space is required to house goods that can sit on a shelf for months or even years.
This kind of storage costs money but an advantage of 3D printing is that it can help businesses to cut their costs
by reducing the amount of storage space they need. Traditional methods are time consuming which meant that is
was cost efficient to produce goods in high volumes for storage. However, 3D printers remove this problem
because it makes it possible for goods to be made as they are sold. This means that there will be no
A5. USING MORE EFFICIENT MATERIALS
• Many industries have already adopted 3D printing technology because it provides access to materials that are
sturdy enough for use in a wide range of products. On light of this, as the technology develops and materials
improve it will mean that use will increase significantly in a wider range of industries. As industrial strength
materials improve, industries such as Aerospace and the car industry will turn to the 3D printed parts, resulting in
lighter aircraft or cars which will enhance their performance. This is a technology that almost has no limits and as
more and more businesses adopt 3D printing in place of traditional methods it will only enhance the research and
development in the technology.
 DISADVANTAGES OF 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

1. High Energy Consumption

2. 3D Printing Technology is Expensive
3. Limited Materials
4. 3D Printers Aren’t that User-friendly
5. Harmful Emissions
6. Too Much Reliance on Plastic
7. 3D Printers are Slow
8. Production of Dangerous Weaponry
9. Copyright Infringements
10. Manufacturing Job Losses
 RESEARCH AND PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE
• STATE-OF-THE-ART RESEARCH
• The majority of the projects have been focused on researching the physical aspects behind the
technology, such as the printing technology, material technology, and the various issues
• related to them. COBOD International (formerly known as 3DPrinthuset, now its sister company) has
recently led a research oriented towards exploring the current state of the technology worldwide, by
visiting more than 35 different 3D Construction printing related projects. For each project, a research
report has been issued, and the gathered data has been used to unify all the various technologies into a
first attempt at a common standardized categorization and terminology.
• The researchers at Purdue University have pioneered a 3D printing process known as Direct-ink-
Writing for fabrication of architectured cement-based materials for the first time. They demonstrated
using 3D-printing, bio-inspired designs of cement-based materials is feasible and novel performance
characteristics such as flaw-tolerance and compliance can be achieved.
 FIRST 3D CONSTRUCTION PRINTING CONFERENCE
Along with the research, 3DPrinthuset (now known as COBOD International) has organized two
international conferences on 3D Construction printing (February and November 2017 respectively), aimed
at bringing together the strongest names in this emerging industry to discuss the potentials and challenges
that lie ahead. The conferences were the first of this kind, and have brought together names such as
D-Shape, Contour Crafting, Cybe Construction, Eindhoven's 3DCP research, Winsun, and many more. Along
the 3D Construction printing specialists, there has also been a strong presence from the traditional
construction industry key players for the first time, with names such as Sika AG, Vinci , Royal BAM Group,
NCC, among others. A general idea emerged that the 3D Construction printing field needs a more unified
platform where ideas, applications, issues and challenges can be shared and discussed.
 MEDIA INTEREST
Although its the first steps have been made nearly three decades ago, 3D Construction printing has struggled to
reach out for years. The first technologies to achieve some media attention were Contour Crafting and D-Shape,
with a few sporadic articles in 2008–2012 and a 2012 TV report. D-Shape has also been featured in an
independent documentary dedicated to its creator Enrico Dini, called "The man who prints houses".
One important break-through has been seen with the announcement of the first 3D printed building, using a
prefabricated 3D printed components made by Winsun, which claimed to be able to print 10 houses in a day with
its technology. Although the claims were still to be confirmed, the story has created a wide traction and a growing
interest in the field. In a matter of months, many new companies began to emerge. This led to many new
endeavors that reached the media, such as, in 2017, the first pedestrian 3d printed bridge and the first cyclist 3d
printed bridge, plus an early structural element made with 3d printing in 2016, among many others.
Recently, COBOD International, formerly known as 3DPrinthuset (its sister company) has gained wide media
attention with their first permanent 3D printed building, the first of its kind in Europe.The project set an important
precedent for being the first 3D printed building with a building permit and documentation in place, and a full
approval from the city authorities, a crucial milestone for a wider acceptance in the construction field. The story
gained extensive coverage, both on national and international media, appearing on TV in Denmark, Russia,
Poland, Lithuania, among many others.
 Information Management in Construction
• Information is the product of the contextual understanding and interpretation of Data.
• It is the essential medium through which knowledge, expertise, judgement, emotions and decisions held by
individuals is expressed, shared and communicated with others.
• Hicks et al (2006) define Information Management (IM) from an organizational perspective to include the activities
that support the information lifecycle from creation, representation and maintenance through to communication and
reuse.
• An information intelligent organization is one which understands the value of information and can successfully
search, find, assemble, analyse, use and reuse all forms of information products required for any of its tasks
(Evgeniou and Cartwright, 2005). This is particularly important as competitive advantage today makes information
a core requirement for doing business, improving organizational performance and obtaining operational efficiency
(Christian, 2002; Chaffey & Wood, 2004; Hicks et al, 2002; Hicks et al, 2006; Laundon & Laundon, 2009).
• Being information intelligent requires a more strategic view of information as a corporate asset, aligning the
information needs of the organization to its business processes (Buchanan and Gibb, 1998; Brigl et al, 2005).
• It requires a fundamental rethink of information, its position within the organization and its potency as a means of
securing long term competitive advantage.
• It also requires information to be viewed in a holistic manner balancing an appreciation of technologies with the
capabilities of people within the business to harness and use the information to improve performance (Marchand,
2000).
 HOLISTIC APPROACH TO INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
• A holistic approach to IM requires the integration of strategies, tools, processes and skills within an organisation to
manage all forms of recorded information through its complete lifecycle from creation until deletion supported by
necessary technological and administrative infrastructures (Boiko, 2002; Tyrvainen et al, 2002; Nordheim and
Paivarinta, 2004; Munkvold et al, 2006; HP, 2007). Such an approach needs an appreciation of how the organisation
can best use, structure and exploit information to achieve desired results across its diverse processes (Marchand,
2000; HP, 2007). Numerous technologies do exist which aim to enable this, however critical to the success of a
holistic approach is emphasis on corporate wide strategies and policies guiding the use and implementation of the
appropriate technology (Paivarinta & Munkvold, 2005). A holistic approach to IM consists of four key components
a clear appreciation of which is essential to ensure the approach is contextual, appropriate and implemented
effectively to support the organisation (Marchand, 2000; Paivarinta & Munkvold, 2005; Bridges, 2007). These are
discussed in more detail by the authors in a previous publication (Sheriff et al, 2008).
• In brief, the components are:
• The Content Model, denoting the nature of the content, its lifecycle, structure, attributes, business applications and its
suitability for the organisation. This also includes metadata and taxonomy.
• The enterprise Model based on an analysis of the organisation, its distinct operations, culture, partners and supply
chain based on their interaction with information through time (also referred to as process).
• Technological needs to facilitate the implementation of the predefined strategy (also referred to as technology and
systems).
• Implementation & Change Management to manage the transition and support the implementation of the strategy (also
referred to as people). Prior to presenting the findings, it is necessary to differentiate between IM and other associated
concepts in both research and practice.