Future of ICF: concrete printing
Last Post 02 Feb 2013 11:18 AM by ICFHybrid. 6 Replies.
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sharterUser is Offline
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08 Oct 2012 02:54 PM
A bit out there, but we'll probably see this in our lifetime and I expect sooner than we realize. If you've heard of 3D printers that can print plastic toys, parts, etc then this is a next logical step: 3D Printing Houses in Concrete

OK, first off, it is what it is. Yes the concrete wouldn't be as secure as monolithic pour, probably would be used in third world countries first, it wouldn't even be insulated, etc... However some interesting aspects are that they show an alternative to continuous rebar - shorter steel pieces with bolt\nuts at each stage and the concrete has zig-zag interior pattern to reduce concrete use.

This isn't just another way to build a house or an airplane fuselage. It is being considered a third industrial revolution.
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21 Oct 2012 01:00 PM
3D printers are truly amazing!! Most still have not even heard of them. I can see this happening, but main stream no way. So many builders now are still not even wanting to change from the last 50 years of techniques. Thanks for posting.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair
johngonoleUser is Offline
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10 Nov 2012 02:46 AM
I'm sorry but I can't even get a reliable large format printer to work in my office for even short periods of time. No way a printer the size of a house is going to work. They are decades out from perfecting that I fee. I saw the demo online a while back and wasn't impressed. Its one think to do that on a video and quite another to do if for real. I honestly didn't even like the way the concrete and rebar was inserted.
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16 Nov 2012 04:52 PM
I don't see why a CNC "robot arm " style controlled concrete pump with a specially made concrete based paste or glue material couldb't be used to built a monolithic pour structure would need a very special mix ..but still doable maybe with a fixing additive reacting to UV light or something...that could be activated right at the nose of the output runnign a cnc program for that kind of thing would probably be very very easy tastk ( if you take into account the long way the CAM softwares have done in the last years ) lastly ... WHY NOT? brings back WHAT IS THE BENEFIT ?
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26 Nov 2012 10:22 PM
Tech has came along way. Just look at the car phones and bag phones of the day. You had to be someone to have one, now the local gas station for $20. Cnc was the same way, now the local kids out of school can program with less training then originally. The software has developed aswell. I believe it will be a long time from now, even if we see it. We can't even get ICF to get a foothold compared to sticks but time and competition will tell.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair
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31 Jan 2013 05:36 PM
Benefit == cheaper due to less labor. In theory, no tradesmen would be needed: general contractor, concrete, framers, plumber, electrician, roofer, painting, drywall, finish work, ...

I think this would be most feasible and tested out first in tract housing of second\third world countries first where they can start with simple designs and fewer requirements such as electric and finish work.

It makes me wonder about a couple variants:
1) Instead of building on-site, perhaps this starts out building pre-fab pods\units which are then delivered, can be joined, stacked, etc. Need to be light though as in manufactured homes, so that rules out the more classic ICFs in favor of more foam with post\beam design.
2) Buy\rent re-usable concrete forms that easily assembly into a standard pod shape (like this design who designs with hexagons and rectangular join sections) then you would form up a pod and a connecting section (add the sheets of foam insulation and rebar to the inside of the form), pour it, then re-use the form to make another pod, make a stacked pod, etc, one-at-a-time. Idea being a DIY home although this approach only covers the concrete trade...
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02 Feb 2013 11:18 AM
WHY NOT? brings back WHAT IS THE BENEFIT ?
Presumably, 3-D printers don't drop banana peels on the floor, pee in the corner or smoke dope out behind the construction shed. I'd mention the revolution in new building materials including all sorts of recycled possibilities, but I think I'll stand on the first reasons for a while.....


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