3D Printed Building Components Used to Construct 10 Houses

A Chinese company  has advanced the science of 3D printing by printing 10 houses entirely out of recycled materials, in just under a day. These houses, each covering an area of 200 sq m, in Shanghai's Qingpu district are printed with special "ink" - construction waste, tailings and industrial waste that was recycled.


The best thing is, they are built with very little labor and they are incredibly inexpensive (approximately $4,800 each). The company hopes one day the technology could provide affordable housing for the impoverished.

Shanghai WinSun Decoration Design Engineering Co. said the team finished the design of the special printer several years ago. "We purchased parts for the printer overseas, and assembled the machine in a factory in Suzhou," said Ma Yihe, CEO of the company. "Such a new type of 3D-printed structure is environment-friendly and cost-effective."

The 3D printer, measuring 32-meters long, 10-meters wide, and 6.6-meters high, was used to print each of the structural components of the houses. These printed parts, such as frame, wall were printed separately. These parts dry quickly and then  used to assemble to a complete house. 

Ma said that the well-known housing group Tomson has approached the company and they are planning to build an entire villa with this new technology.

Ma now plans to build 100 recycling factories in the country and continue collecting and transforming waste into cost-effective "ink" for 3D printers.

- 3ders