Here at 3D Rapid Print, one of the fastest growing 3D Printing companies in the Thames Valley, we like to keep abreast of the latest innovations in 3D printing.
On May 12th 2022, Cornell University (Cornell) of Ithaca, New York spoke of its Bovay Civil Infrastructure Laboratory Complex’s new 3D printing construction robot. Cornell claimed that it was one of only a few universities in the US to have this kind of robot, boasting that it could make what Cornell described as “the kind of large-scale structures that could potentially transform the construction industry.” Weighing circa 6,000lbs (2,722kg), the robot is set on a 12-foot-long (3.66m) track, with a similarly long circular reach.
Since the robot arrived back in February, the lab has been training to use it and has made several different test prints, including benches, planters and even a large letter C in the Cornell typeface. Operating it is a team effort, such that one team mixes a pre-batched mortar and stirs in additives, while another team operates the robot’s controller to regulate how much of the mixture runs through the system. When the mixture reaches the robot’s extruder head and nozzle, a hardening additive is added to thicken the material as it is poured. Citing lab manager James Strait, Cornell argued that getting the concrete’s consistency right can be a challenge, as if the layers of concrete are either too rigid or not rigid enough, they will not properly stick together.
Currently, the robot 3D prints with a paste with aggregate measuring up to 4mm in size, as anything larger risks jamming and damaging its pump system. However, engineering professor Sriramya Nair and her team plan to build their own extruder head to 3D print in steel-fibre-reinforced concrete, which uses larger aggregate and can withstand heavier loads. She also hopes that her team can create its own mixture to 3D print with, rather than relying on the manufacturer’s premixed material. In addition, she intends to incorporate the system into a new class that she is teaching in the autumn, which is designed to help prepare students for upcoming changes in the construction industry.
3D printing is an amazing tool. It can grow your small business or start a mini revolution in an industry. Explore what it can do for you when you contact us today.
Disclaimer: Featured image of “Opbouw van een door Zwitserland geschonken barak, Bestanddeelnr 900-7607” has been dedicated to the public domain by its author (known only as Harry Pot/Anefo) under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
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