Posted on 08/30/2018 8:29:11 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Marines have used a specialized 3D concrete printer to print a 500-square-foot barracks room in just 40 hours. The innovative project created the worlds first continuous 3D-printed concrete barracks, according to the Marine Corps.
The barracks room was built earlier this month at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Champaign, Ill. Army and Navy Seabees were also involved in the construction effort.
Harnessing the worlds largest concrete printer, the Additive Manufacturing Team at Marine Corps Systems Command teamed up with Marines from I Marine Expeditionary Force.
Using Computer Aided Design software on a 10-year-old computer, the concrete was pushed through a print head and layered repeatedly to build the barracks room walls. Friedell said that the job took 40 hours because Marines were carefully monitoring the project and continually filling the printer with concrete. However, if a robot was used to do the mixing and pumping, the building could be built in 24 hours, he added.
The construction industry is keen to tap into the power of 3D-printing. Last year, for example, experts at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands produced the worlds first 3D-printed reinforced, pre-stressed concrete bridge. The cycle bridge is part of a new road around the village of Gemert in southern Holland.
One of the big advantages of 3D-printed concrete is that much less concrete is needed compared to the traditional technique of filling a mold with concrete, according to experts from Eindhoven University of Technology.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Where’s the Rebar?
3d printing! One of the most overused phrases in modern history!
No, they're not allowed to claim they built a 500 sq ft barracks.
Just need to add a Print Head ?
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