We have seen 3D technology being used in the construction industry to build houses, schools and pedestrian bridges in Venice and Shanghai. Now it’s been used to create the first 3D-printed park in Shenzhen, China.
The 3D-printed park – actually a park landscaped using 3D printing technology – measures 5,523 sq m (59,449 sq ft) and was created for (the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Centre by Advanced Intelligent Construction Technology (AICT), which has just opened a US office in California.
“As a form of intelligent construction, 3D printing concrete construction technology boasts great advantages,” said Xu Weiguo, professor at the Tsinghua University School of Architecture, who led the technical support team.
With the combination of advanced robotics, high-performance materials, and parametric design, 3D printing technology has propelled intelligent construction from the laboratory to industry. Users can input the digitally designed model into the software, which processes it into control signals for the robotic arm. The concrete mixture then reaches the nozzle at the front end of the mechanical arm through the extrusion device and is printed rapidly.
AICT used this 3D printing technology in the Shenzhen park to produce more than 2,000 concrete pieces including sculptures, benches, flower beds, retaining walls, and curbs. The firm said it made the park in a 2.5 month period at a fraction of the cost of conventional construction methods. “We made a park that is not only state of the art in its construction but is aesthetically pleasing with an attractive, elegant, and futuristic look,” said AICT.
A large percentage of construction costs is rising labour costs due to a shortage of skilled labour. Robotics-based technology empowers the labour force to be more productive, resulting in more efficient job sites, less building time, and overall cost savings, claims AICT. Using 3D printing, AICT can produce a modestly sized house in weeks rather than months.
These reductions in time, personnel, and material costs can reduce overall production costs by as much as thirty percent. Logistical and planning costs are also much lower than with traditional building methods. “Compared with reinforced concrete, 3D printing is relatively cheap, since the building simulation stage will solve technical problems in advance and come up with the optimum construction method,” Xu said.
Sustainable
3D printed concrete does not need formwork, usually made from wood and wasted after use. This method prints concrete only in the required places calculated by an algorithm, reducing the usage of carbon-heavy cement. In addition, the sand that makes up almost 50 percent of the concrete can be sourced locally, saving on transportation costs and carbon emissions associated with transportation.
AICT’s printing technology uses a light modular six-axis robotic arm-based system rather than a conventional three-axis, heavy, large-scale gantry system. In addition, the system’s proprietary building material outperforms traditional concrete, producing far more diverse and fluid shapes at no additional cost. This method allows for the creation of attractive and stylish design elements without the expense usually associated with premium designs.
“Intelligent construction is still in its infancy, but the digitization of the construction industry has bright prospects,” said Zhang Yu, an official with the construction bureau of Shenzhen’s Baoan district.
AICT System is unlike its competitors which are heavy large scale 3D printers that have to be operated by specialists. “We have a modeler system, the main part the KUKA robotic arm is easily sourced all around the world and has an existing maintenance network. We provide custom ‘head’ and rail or moving platforms according to the projects,” said AICT.
The system itself has an active sensor system and an AI governing control, so it can be truly intelligent and work without human supervision. The custom head avoids plugging in the extrusion process and collapses during the material’s layer stacking.
