The 3D Printing Revolution How long is it before we are seeing huge 3D printers on building sites rather than traditional construction teams? According to Maurizio Andreoli of the Italian WASP Project, which is focused on the development of 3D printing technologies for sustainable development, that day may not be so very far off. Victoria Hattersley reports.
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cross the global construction industry we are seeing an ever-increasing interest in green construction – not least because of the significant savings it offers compared to traditional construction methods. So what if, in the future, houses could be 3D-printed using locally sourced raw materials at a fraction of the current production and environmental costs? This is the aim of the WASP initiative: led by the Italy-based 3D printing firm Centro Sviluppo Progetti (CSP), it was created in 2012 to manufacture professional 3D printers inhouse in order to encourage sustainable development and in-house production.
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To this end, WASP is studying new materials to utilise in the printing process, leading to the innovative use of straw, clay and porcelain, amongst others. The project’s first 3D printer was the PowerWasp – a versatile machine that also allows the shaping of aluminium and wood. This was followed by the current 12m DeltaWasp line, which is adaptable to every 3D printer requirement and can be used for both small and large projects.
The benefits But why exactly can the kinds of 3D printing technologies developed by projects such as WASP can potentially revolutionalise the
construction industry? Mr Andreoli explains: “For one thing, it is extremely efficient: the client’s project can be perfectly realised owing to the precision of the mechanical process and customisable designs can be easily achieved using geometric modeling softwares. We can create cavity walls that are impossible to obtain with traditional techniques, and the aeration canals could be utilised for air circulation, air conditioning and air heating systems.” There is also, of course, the matter of cost and environmental savings. Using a mixture of straw and natural terrain and its in-house developed extruder, WASP can
