3D printer used to build 10 homes in one day in China

Photo: Winsun New Materials

Say what you will, but the Chinese are clearly the fastest builders in the world, though sometimes quick haste makes to waste. A while ago, I wrote about how a Chinese company wants to build the tallest skyscraper in the world in just 90 days. Really crazy stuff, but now another Chinese company, with many years of experience working with 3D printers, plan to revolutionize the way fast constructions are being made. To demonstrate their concept, the Suzhou-based construction materials firm Winsun built 10 homes, albeit modest looking, in only a day using a massive, specially design 3D printer.

Photon: Winsun New Materials

Instead of a smooth polymer like in the case of conventional 3D printers used to manufacture small parts and such, the huge printer employed by the Chinese company uses a mix made out of recycled construction waste and cement. The head of the printer lays out a structure comprised of diagonal beams, in two layers with plenty of air gap to ensure sound proofing and heat insulation. These prefabricated walls are then transported to the site of construction and quickly assembled. Each of the 10 homes part of the demonstration requires little man power to assemble it and costs around $4,800.

As China rapidly urbanizes, the need for cheap and fast to build homes is acute. Solutions such as this seem to fair well in China, and the fact that it uses recycled materials comes at a plus. The video below details the production of these 3D printed prefabs.