3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing

Advanced printers have been built that can extrude multiple materials, providing a level of speed and flexibility that was not present before. The printer reads the file and lays down successive layers of materials, such as plastics, resins, concrete, sand or metals, until the entire object is created. Currently, they have only been  used to create 3D models of a structural design, prototypes, and smaller non-structural elements such as landscaping bricks or decorative components. Extremely large 3D printers have already been built that can use concrete-like materials to fabricate a variety of large structural components and even entire buildings, such as emergency huts and residences. Raw materials tested include: Recycled plastic, Bioplastics, Concrete. Synthetic stone-like material made of sand and chemicals

• Reduced materials usage
• Increasing the ability to design a larger variety of customized homes and buildings
• Savings  in construction waste
• Reduction of production time by 50%-70%
• Reduction of construction labor costs 
• Lower costs for customized design.
• Increasing rate of construction, faster and more accurate.
• Recycling of unused construction components.
• Health and safety risks.
• Lower cost housing or to create designs which is not possible with traditional construction.
• Changes in the type of skills and labor required.
• Risks and errors in the digital model that could result in problems onsite that will need special handling or rework.
• The printers are not necessarily faster than traditional construction. More time may be required for onsite component production
• 3D Printing for Pressurised Concrete
• Virtual and Rapid Prototyping Methods, Wind and Earthquake Simulations on a Five Storey Building
• 3D Construction Printing
• 3D printed buildings
• 3D printed bridges
• Extra-Terrestrial Printed Structure