14 DAY TRIAL // The world of 3D printing keeps evolving at an amazing pace, and this week, the industry reached another historic milestone.
Apis Cor, a company specialized in 3D printing, announced the completion of the world’s largest 3D printed building so far, only two weeks after the construction officially kicked off.
The building is no less than 9.5 meters tall and covers an area of 640 square meters, with 2 stories and materials specifically developed to withstand the harsh climatic conditions in Dubai.
The administrative building was created for the Dubai Municipality, and all elements were printed on site.
However, it’s worth knowing that the foundation is still based on a conventional construction, while the walls are internally reinforced with rebar and heavy concrete. Roof, windows, and insulation are still made from conventional materials.
Mobile 3D printer moved by a crane
Apis Cor says it used a gypsum-based mixture for 3D printing that was specifically developed for this building.
“Thanks to unique design of Apis Cor’s 3D printer the structure of the building was built directly on-site without any extra assembly works. The whole process took place in an uncovered area, meaning such critical environment requirements for 3D printing material like temperature and humidity were uncontrolled,” the company explains.
“Apis Cor was able to conduct extensive R&D dedicated to testing the equipment under harsh climatic conditions and developing the 3D printing material.”
The company doesn’t say anything about the costs of the building, but they’re likely rather high given the R&D involved in the process. However, this represents a major achievement for the world of 3D printing, especially as 3D-printed buildings become more common thanks to the advantages that they bring along with a substantially reduced construction time as compared to conventional constructions.
