Will 3D Printing Technology Revolutionize Automated House Building?

According to a recent report by the Associated Press, a new generation of start-ups hope to use industrial 3D printers to automate the construction of houses, thereby changing the way houses are built.

According to the report, 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, uses machines to superimpose thin layers of plastic, metal, concrete, and other materials together to finally create a three-dimensional object from the bottom up. In recent years, 3D printers are mostly used to manufacture a small number of special items, such as auto parts or prostheses, so that consumers or companies can use machines to manufacture what they need at home or in the workplace.

At present, a few start-up companies around the world are using 3D printing to build houses, claiming that it is faster, cheaper, and more sustainable than traditional construction methods. They say these technologies may help solve the serious housing shortage problem-a problem that has led to soaring housing prices, overcrowding, evictions, and homelessness in the United States.

However, as of now, 3D housing construction is still at an early stage of development. Most of the start-ups in this field are developing new technologies and have not yet begun to build houses. Two of the most well-known and well-funded companies-"Hongwei Construction" and Aikang-delivered less than 100 sets.

In order to go beyond the scope of the niche market, construction companies need to significantly increase production and convince home buyers, developers, and regulators to believe in the safety, durability, and aesthetics of 3D-printed housing. They also need to train workers to operate machines and assemble houses.

Michelle Boyd, director of the Housing Policy Laboratory at the Terna Center for Housing Innovation at the University of California, Berkeley, said: “As long as 3D printing can provide a faster and cheaper way to build housing, even single houses or small units. Housing can solve part of the problem." But she said that the serious housing shortage requires a variety of solutions, including relaxing zoning restrictions and building more high-rise apartment buildings.

Some startups in the United States believe that 3D printing technology will improve the performance of house construction

Proponents of 3D printing technology point out that using printing technology instead of nails to build houses can save a lot of wood, metal and other building materials, which are dumped into landfills every year.

These proponents believe that 3D printing can reduce the demand for labor when it is difficult for home builders to find sufficient skilled workers to meet housing needs. After the financial crisis triggered by real estate more than 10 years ago, many construction workers withdrew from the industry, and fewer young people entered the industry.

Jason Ballard is the CEO and co-founder of the 3D printing construction start-up Aikon. He said that the company's 3D printing system can complete the work of 10 to 20 workers in five or six different industries. Moreover, these machines can work 24 hours a day, and do not need to rest like humans, which can save developers time and money.

Sam Rubin, the company’s other co-founder and chief sustainability officer, said: “Through 3D printing, we can accurately print what we need.” He said that this process produces almost no construction waste. A residential unit can reduce carbon emissions by two to three tons.

In the factory warehouse of the "Magnificent Construction" company in Oakland, California, a 3D printer superimposed a thin layer of a stone-like material that would quickly harden under ultraviolet light and be fireproof and waterproof. The wall panels are printed one layer at a time, and then insulating foam is injected between the layers. Various surface design work is completed by the robotic arm.

The company says that this printer can make all the exterior walls of a single-room house, or it can make individual wall panels that can be assembled with simple tools. The "Magnificent Construction" company is currently producing 350 square feet (approximately 32.5 square meters) courtyard cottages, which are called "attached residential units" in the industry and can be used as additional bedrooms, recreation rooms, gyms, or home offices.

So far, the company has delivered 6 housing units, and another 30 units have been contracted. The price of each housing unit starts from US$115,000, excluding assembly and on-site construction costs. Two units can be combined into a 700 square foot residence. Rubin said that the company's housing construction costs are about 40% lower than the cost of traditional California homes.

Most of the modules are assembled in the factory and delivered to the orderer's house by truck, and then assembled in place by crane. The size of the truck compartment and the height limit of tunnels and overpasses will affect the size of the housing unit.

With the support of more than US$70 million in venture capital, "Magnificent Construction" plans to build more factories, and its goal is to build 1,000 houses next year. The company is also developing software that allows developers to customize 3D-printed buildings. Rubin said that the company's ultimate goal is to build townhouses and multi-story apartment buildings.