A Chinese company is now successfully 3D-printing homes, offices, and apartments. It’s faster and cheaper than conventional building. The coming disruption in construction and building trades will be immense and worldwide. The entire industry faces shock waves of changes. Driverless cars and trucks will be doing the same to transportation. Within the next ten years, millions will see their jobs vanish as 3D printing buildings and driverless vehicles become common. These trends cannot be stopped, so it’s best to embrace them, and try not to be caught in a profession or trade that is becoming obsolete.
Meet WinSun: the Chinese company has been documented to print 10 complete houses in 24 hours, using a proprietary 3D printer that uses a mixture of ground construction and industrial waste, such as glass and tailings, around a base of quick-drying cement mixed with a special hardening agent. But while this in itself is impressive, the punchline is the cost: the houses can be produced for under $5,000, which means that if adopted widely, 3D printing can lead to a collapse in prices of new home construction across China, which while good for new buyers could be catastrophic for the economy.
Some comments to the article are rightfully not impressed, especially not by the concrete mixture being partly composed of industrial and construction leftovers because, ah, what’s in it?
It’s pre-manufactured concrete slabs with textured decorative coatings sprayed on. That’s it – that’s the only 3-D part. It’s a pre-fab concrete building with fake brick texture. BFD. You still need to build a foundation, frame and mount all the slabs to it. With a crane.
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Didn’t see any reinforcing steel or wire mesh in that batter.. for structural elements that s insane. This does have great applications for exterior wall covering though. The innovative Chinese found a way of getting rid of industrial tailings,.. and you thought their sheet-rock was poisonous..
3D printing buildings is happening elsewhere too. Despite potential problems, it’s coming. People get ready.
https://youtu.be/yxRNBCNxJpY