Application of 3-D Printing and Modular Design to Construction
Hello everyone, I hope you guys had a good weekend. Today I would like to discuss a couple innovations which apply 3-D printing and modular design innovations to construction practice. These are applications that were more common in manufacturing and prototyping initially but can be applied to construction as well according to the article by Business Review Weekly.
The first innovation is the application of 3-D printing to the creation of moulds for precast concrete. Traditionally, other materials such as wood, foam or rubber have been use, and constructing these moulds could take months to construct. The Laing O’Rourke Company has developed a method that 3-D prints a large scale wax substrate mould at a rate of 150 kg/hr using a robots. They have applied this to common projects such as stormwater pipes and have achieved cost savings of 50% to 90%. Additionally, this solves the waste problem because the wax mould is lifted off or melted away in a water bath after the concrete is cured. The wax can then be filtered and recycled.
The second innovation is the use of modular components in hospital construction. Hospitals are one of the most expensive areas of infrastructure because they are individually designed. Hickory Group has developed a modular panel for use in reception and administrative areas. These areas use what is referred to as “accommodation components” which constitutes up to 40% of the construction cost of a hospital. By using the modular panel, construction time can be cut by 40%. Furthermore, the panels are easily replaceable. If a panel is damaged, the hospital can simply order a replacement and have their maintenance worker install the new panel.
Both of these are very good innovations in my opinion. They are taking methods that have been proven effective in several previously tested applications and expanded their usage. Furthermore, a reduction in time of construction and cost of maintenance/construction has been achieved. I would be interested in seeing a more detailed account of the numbers and statistics. However, based on the information provided, these are great examples of low risk/high reward solutions that can greatly improve construction practices.
What is your opinion on these innovations? Do you think they’ll be effective? If you enjoyed reading, like the post and share it with your friends. Thanks for your time and have a good week!
Sources
Michael Bleby, “BRW Most Innovative Companies 2014: Why Construction Companies Are Thinking Like Manufacturers”, Business Review Weekly, October 9, 2014, http://goo.gl/O0oD6E
Image Source
Anne-Mette Manelius, “Concrete After Dark – Is There An Afterlife for Concrete?”, Concretely, October 17, 2014, http://goo.gl/IYI6q2
Thoughts on the Engineering Industry 