3D printing
`
construction industry
Framework for bringing
3D printing
into the construction industry
PIs: dr. Martin Fischer,
dr. Vladimir Bazjanac
Student: Natasa Mrazovic, M.Arch.Eng., lic.arch., M.CE.
CIFE Seed Proposal 2013 – 01 // April 2013
Copyright  2013
3D printing
Introduction
construction industry
State of the art of 3D printing technology
©Andrew Tingle/Wired (creativecommons)
http://www.wired.com/design/2013/03/dita-von-teese-3-dprinted-gown/
Barack Obama :
“…the 3D printing technology
has the potential to
revolutionize the way we make
almost everything…” CBS News,
03/02/13
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-33816_162-57572203/professor-3d-printing©Inhabitat
http://inhabitat.com/the-urbee-hybrid-is-the-worlds-first-3-d-printed-car
technology-just-beginning/ (0:04-0:16...)
Copyright  2013
3D printing
Introduction
construction industry
Current 3D printing practice in other industries
“3D printing is the next trillion dollar industry” Business Insider
The new Lux Research report:
In 2012, 3D printing market was $777 million in sales,
with predicted 18% annual growth,
predictions for 2025 are $8.4 billion in sales.
The auto, aerospace and medical industries are 84% of that market
©Inhabitat
http://inhabitat.com/the-urbee-hybrid-is-the-worlds-first-3-d-printed-car
©On 3D Printing
http://on3dprinting.com/2012/05/07/3d-printed-legs-givingamputees-the-power-of-personal-expression/
Copyright  2013
Introduction
3D printing
construction industry
The questions
Why are we not printing buildings?
Copyright  2013
Introduction
3D printing
construction industry
The questions
Why are we not printing buildings?
What is the FIRST STEP to speed up the process of the 3D printing
technology application in the construction industry?
Copyright  2013
Introduction
3D printing
construction industry
The questions
Why are we not printing buildings?
What is the FIRST STEP to speed up the process of the 3D printing
technology application in the construction industry?
What is the state of the art of technology and science in this field?
What could be done to streamline and speed up
the process of the research related to 3D printing of
buildings and, consequently, the application of these technologies
in the industry?
Copyright  2013
Introduction
3D printing
construction industry
General definition
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926580506000227
Fig. 1.
Copyright  2013
3D printing
Introduction
construction industry
State of the art in design/construction = motivation
Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall Astana, photo by Elena Giussani (Wikimedia Commons)
http://www.greenfudge.org/2010/08/09/astana-and-ordos-the-birth-of-asia%E2%80%99sultramodern-fossil-fuel-cities/
http://www.dezeen.com/201
1/08/15/apple-campus-2-byfoster-partners/
Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall Astana, photo by Elena Giussani (Wikimedia Commons)
http://www.greenfudge.org/2010/08/09/astana-and-ordos-the-birth-of-asia%E2%80%99sultramodern-fossil-fuel-cities/
Copyright  2013
Introduction
3D printing
construction industry
Benefits for the industry = motivation
Less human factor related problems due to automation
Custom parts & just in time deliveries
Greater design freedom at no or little extra cost
Additional functionalities into structures
Courtesy of Foster + Partners
System integration and reduction of material interfaces
Better control over the deposition of build material
Better internal and external finishes
Structure as a homogeneous unit
Copyright  2013
Benefits for the industry
3D printing
construction industry
3D printing IS COMPETITIVE
with traditional processes and products
Pilot studies show three key issues that affect how Freeform
Construction impacts traditional methods:
1) COST
2) TIME
3) VALUE ADDED
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926580506000227
Fig. 3.
Copyright  2013
Benefits for the industry
3D printing
construction industry
3D printing IS COMPETITIVE
with traditional processes and products
Pilot studies show three key issues that affect how Freeform
Construction impacts traditional methods:
1) COST
2) TIME
3) VALUE ADDED
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926580506000227
Fig. 4.
Copyright  2013
Benefits for the industry
3D printing
construction industry
3D printing IS COMPETITIVE
with traditional processes and products
Pilot studies show three key issues that affect how Freeform
Construction impacts traditional methods:
1) COST
2) TIME
3) VALUE ADDED
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926580506000227
Fig. 6.
Copyright  2013
Theoretical and Practical Point of Departure
3D printing
construction industry
General Problems  Possible Approaches to Solutions
1) Delivery components large enough for building structures =
not scaled up RM segments  new systems and processes
2) Material cost and its heterogeneity  integral part of new
delivery systems
3) Construction speed is not greater than in traditional
approaches  the automation process should be re-designed
4) A greater performance of building elements, build-in materials
and specialists’ applications  clever innovative design
Copyright  2013
Theoretical and Practical Point of Departure
3D printing
construction industry
“Heat” Map of Identified Most Progressive Research Groups
Copyright  2013
State of the art of the research
3D printing
construction industry
Meet the Researchers…
Short Videos:
1. Contour Crafting: Automated Construction: Behrokh
Khoshnevis at TEDxOjai
3:47 – 6:31
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdbJP8Gxqog
2. MIT MediaLab: 3-D printing with variable densities 0:07 – 1:55
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nFyuxGEhzY
3. Enrico Dini “The Man Who Prints Houses Trailer”
0:10
http://vimeo.com/29984723#
http://www.themanwhoprintshouses.com/
Copyright  2013
Theoretical and Practical Point of Departure
3D printing
construction industry
The Problem: Isolated Research Groups
1) Limited existing platforms by focusing on solving specific
issues
2) Little apparent consideration of another group’s
experience, knowledge, and achievements within the field
Copyright  2013
Theoretical and Practical Point of Departure
3D printing
construction industry
The Problem: Isolated Research Groups
1) Limited existing platforms by focusing on solving specific issues
2) Little apparent consideration of another group’s experience,
knowledge, and achievements within the field
3) Prototypes exist only in the secure laboratory environments
http://vimeo.com/299
84723# 0:42 -1:20
http://www.contourcrafting.org/ ;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdb
JP8Gxqog
http://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=_YiPLjozLd
U
Copyright  2013
Theoretical and Practical Point of Departure
3D printing
construction industry
The big idea
`
Copyright  2013
Workflow
3D printing
construction industry
Research Methods/Schedules
1st, 2nd and 3rd quarter:
1) Obtain reports
2) Review the literature extensively
3) Identify/reconstruct existing frameworks
4) Identify successes and failures of a specific experiment
Copyright  2013
3D printing
Research Methods/Schedules
construction industry
Identify/Reconstruct Existing Frameworks
©Neri Oxman Material Based Design –Computation @ MIT
http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/59192
Fig. 5.3.
Fig. 6.16.
Fig. 7.24.
Fig. 7.29.
Fig. 7.35.
Copyright  2013
3D printing
Research Methods/Schedules
construction industry
Identify/Reconstruct Existing Frameworks
©Behrok Khoshnevis Contour Crafting @ USC
http://www.contourcrafting.org/ ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdbJP8Gxqog
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926580503000736
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 17.
Fig. 19.
Copyright  2013
Workflow
3D printing
construction industry
Research Methods/Schedules
1st, 2nd and 3rd quarter:
1) obtain detailed laboratory reports
2) review the literature and scientific projects extensively
3) identify/reconstruct existing frameworks
4) identify successes and failures of a specific experiment
4th quarter:
1) Compare frameworks
2) Identify the gaps and possible common language between
similar processes and systems
3) Recommend future research steps
Copyright  2013
3D printing
Research Method
construction industry
Compare, Identify Gaps, Recommend Links, Combine
+
✔✘
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0
926580503000736
Fig. 19.
+
http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/59192
Fig. 5.3.
Fig. 7.42.
Fig. 7.53.
Copyright  2013
Research plan, schedule and risks
3D printing
construction industry
Deliverables
• In-depth research of each of the research groups previously
identified
• Classification of the different techniques employed;
understanding their advantages and limitations for the
construction industry
• Identification of opportunities, possible applications and
key gaps
Copyright  2013
Research plan, schedule and risks
3D printing
construction industry
Deliverables
• For researchers: new points of departure for further research
• For practitioners:
a) Explain advantages and limitations
b) Identify possible applications of current technology to
specific problems in the construction industry
c) Recommend future experiments on a construction site
Copyright  2013
3D printing
Research plan
construction industry
Risks, Next Steps, Industry Involvement
Risks
• Insufficient available data
• Lack of different groups’ cooperation
Next steps
• Proceed with the execution of the recommended steps in the
report
• Close all identified theoretical gaps
Industry Involvement
• Provide data/knowledge if already used any aspect of
Freeform Manufacturing technology
• Collaboration with CIFE members in future experiments
Copyright  2013
Research plan
3D printing
construction industry
Relationship to CIFE goals
• Apply CIFE’s vision, principles, and methods to model and
analyze projects, collaborate, and manage the collected,
interpreted, and translated large volumes of data from a
specific scientific research project
• Offer new processes, strategies, and methods for scientific
research
Copyright  2013
3D printing
Questions
Neri Oxman MIT MediaLab: 3-D
printing with variable densities
0:07-1:55
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n
FyuxGEhzY
construction industry
Contour Crafting: Automated
Construction: Behrokh Khoshnevis at
TEDxOjai 3:47 – 6:31
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdbJP8
Gxqog
Enrico Dini “The Man Who Prints
Houses Trailer”
0:10
http://vimeo.com/29984723#
Questions?
Copyright  2013