The Chinese company WinSun Technologies has just completed the construction of a 3D printed 5-storey residential complex standing next to a 1,100 square meter 3D printed villa.
January 20, 2015: The buildings parts made out of cement, glass fibre and construction waste were created on a 3D printer 6.6 meters high, 10 meters wide and 150 meters long. According to the company, this device is ten times more efficient than traditional construction and allows for a up to 70 % reduction in energy consumption.
WinSun has already been in the business for about 10 years and does not only hold patents for construction materials, but also has already 3D printed 10 houses for around $ 5,000 back in March last year.
March 16, 2015: Update – WinSun showcases 3D printed structures at TCT Asia
At the TCT Asia in Shanghai, Chinese company WinSun revealed more details about their 3D printed constructions and materials, showcasing their technology. The exhibition also shed some light on the company’s materials and developments since 2004, when they developed their first print head capable of extruding different materials for the construction of houses.
Although they had been making headlines around the world, only few details were known about the actual construction methods. So when taking a look at their exhibited parts at TCT, visitors were truly impressed:
“This is a truly innovative use for 3D printing, there are few high value 3D printed products but the fact that Winsun uses recycled material, is low cost and is protected by 98 patents means there is potential to create a really valuable 3D printed product for the world“, said Fried Vancraen, CEO of Materialise.
Graham Tromans, 3D printing consultant at Esteemed said: “Imagine a natural disaster zone, which leaves hundreds or thousands of displaced people displaced from their homes with, technology like this could create instant infrastructure for the affected areas.”
During the construction process, a massive 3D printer deposits layers of material around steel reinforcement poles cemented in the ground. The construction is then filled with polystyrene and the outer walls get a nice looking finish using traditional moulding methods. With their goal of creating eco-friendly materials, WinSun has developed special fibre glass reinforced gypsum board along with five other proprietary materials.
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