Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → News

Want a cheap home? Just 3D print it – from mud

Inspired from mud daubers (a species of wasp), designer Massimo Moretti managed to develop a new 3D printing technology for creating cheap houses. Working with architects, he developed bio-architecture which may go a long way towards fighting the housing crisis in some parts of the world.

Mihai Andrei by Mihai Andrei
January 19, 2015
in News, Technology

Inspired from mud daubers (a species of wasp), designer Massimo Moretti managed to develop a new 3D printing technology for creating cheap houses. Working with architects, he developed bio-architecture which may go a long way towards fighting the housing crisis in some parts of the world.

Building a house is no easy feat. It takes a lot of work, a lot of materials, and a lot of money. But with a 3D mud printer, a house can be made in a couple of weeks for very low prices.

“Starting from the small format we’re developing a printer capable of laying down clay, to then move onto a bigger printer for houses at a very low cost and rebuild slums into natural villas (as Gaudì already thought of). Everything would be environmentally friendly as using ground as a main material,” the WASP website states.

For the last two years, WASP has been working towards their goal of developing full sized livable buildings with their 3D printers. Ultimately, their aim is to develop a “full-sized, three-armed, 20-foot-tall, portable 3D printer” capable of printing structures as high as 10 feet, which can be hauled to a site by truck and assembled in two hours. But until then, they demonstrated the process with a smaller printer; the entire process lasts about two weeks at the moment.

“We have a big goal and we work every day on little things to achieve it,” said Moretti. “We first created [marketable] extruders for clay, porcelain and ceramic, to give the chance of producing objects which have functionality and commerce value. Thanks to clay printing, it is possible a real self-made production that is practical and commerciable.”

But even so, there are some significant advantages, aside for the very cheap costs:

  • it can be quickly deployed and used in rural areas
  • it uses an abundant and hyper-local material: mud
  • it can be easily assembled with two people in two hours with the help of ratcheting straps
  • it can also be used to create ceramics.

Personally, I think this is a great idea. The main advantage is that it uses mud, which is virtually ubiquitous and virtually free, and with the continuous rising of 3D printing, I think we’re going to hear a lot from WASP.

All images and story source: WASP.

Was this helpful?


Thanks for your feedback!

Related posts:
  1. New 3D printer allows you to print your own make-up at home
  2. Cheap home urine test scans for diseases
  3. Toxic mud reaches the Atlantic in one of the worst environmental disasters in history
  4. Amazing new footage of rare and elusive Javan rhino wallowing in the mud
  5. Four years ago this island didn’t exist. Now it’s full of vegetation and “mystery mud”

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW