Posted on 07/11/2014 6:26:31 AM PDT by null and void
3D Printing has done a tremendous amount of good over the past several years. Weve seen the technology evolve to a point where innovators strive to go beyond using it for traditional manufacturing, or merely as a hobby. There are research firms, companies, and individuals trying to figure out just how they can use this up-and-coming technology to make the world a better place.
One such group, is the WASProject, a company that has been manufacturing 3D printers in Italy for a couple of years now. The acronym stands for Worlds Advanced Saving Project, and this probably couldnt be a more suitable name for a company that is aiming extraordinarily high.
Thanks to years of know-how and experience, WASP has been able to develop some very unique 3D printers. This includes the POWERWASP which is a 3D printer / CNC milling machine in one. It also includes the DeltaWASP, which is a delta-style 3D printer that can print in a large variety of materials. While these printers are high quality and priced relatively affordably, this isnt the amazing part of what WASP is planning to do.
Taking soil directly from the ground in Marrakech.
All of the 3D printers that were producing and selling (PowerWASP and DeltaWASP) are our source for money that we use to research and produce bigger printers, explained WASP team member Sebastiano to 3DPrint.com. Our main target is to produce a big Delta Robot, capable of printing huge objects and use this machine to produce housing structures or housing modules, using natural materials such as clay / soil / natural powders, mixed with resin / ect.
The Big Delta is a 3D printer that WASP has been working on for a couple years now, which they debuted at the Rome Maker Faire in 2013. It has the ability to print out objects using soil as the base material. In Marrakech at the 2013 biennale, we took the soil from the [land], mainly sand, and added water and vegetable oil, in order to have a good clay that we used to print out projects [created] by local architects, explained Sebastiano.
A structure 3D printing using WASPs BigDelta
This is really quite amazing when you think about the possible uses of a 3D printer of this magnitude along with its building material compatibility. I asked Sebastiano if they have plans on utilizing this in third world countries, by using native soil to construct homes. He confirmed that they are in fact planning to use this incredible 3D printer to print out houses, as well as other structures, in underdeveloped countries. They plan to do this by taking the soil from the ground in these countries, and then mixing it with oil and water, in order to create a clay building material. That material will then be fed through the printer to print out the structure desired.
Creating the 3D printing material (clay) from native soil in Marrakech.
No date has been set as to when this will take place, but imagine all of the benefits a 3D printer like this could have, not only for developing countries and the counstruction of homes, but for creating supplies during scientific field work, military missions, and even potentially for the creation of structures on other planets.
What do you think? Will this idea become a reality? Will we one day be 3D printing homes for impoverished nations, using merely a 3D printer combined with soil, oil, and water? It certainly seems possible. Discuss in the 3D printing of homes forum thread on 3DPB.com
A clay printed statue
Highly Scaled down mini houses as examples
All the dirt that’s fit to print (ba doom tish)
If they follow Nader Khalili’s lead and fire them from the inside out to make Geltaftan, this could be a wonderful step forward for 3rd world residents.
Gettin’ closer to that replicator!
“Earl Gray tea, hot.”
Haven’t they been doing this by hand for a long time? Because it’s uniform and tidy from being extruded, does that make it more stable and durable?
I’m a big fan of printing houses. I just don’t see the benefit here without electrical power systems and water systems in place. Their hearts are in the right place I suppose.
Tea? TEA??? How about T-Bone!
Make mine steak!
Worlds Advanced Saving Project
My first thought was that is was a reference to mud dauber wasps. This is a high tech version of how they build.
A better solution to the construction problem would be reusable forms with an XYZ controlled concrete pump.
Adobe weathers. Portland cement concrete does not
Great post!
Even apart from the promise of industrial sized 3D printing is the use of local material. Another interesting idea is sandbag architecture: http://www.akdn.org/architecture/project.asp?id=2761
Yes. Adobe has been a building material pretty much since building started. There have been any number of incremental improvements since then. This is another.
Time will tell whether this is a winner or yet another trivial and forgotten improvement.
The biggest improvement in the last 1000 years (IMHO) was from Nader Khalilis observation that the only thing left of ancient mud hut villages was the baker’s oven.
I believe you are correct.
Adobe weathers. Portland cement concrete does not
Look up Nader Khalili.
"Better" is always a relative term. Portland cement is a superior material, but dirt is, well, dirt cheap.
They will crumble at the slightest hint of an earthquake.
Well, it certainly wasn’t going to be the
“White Anglo-Saxon Project”
Once you have the initial step of being able to do this, in time they can refine it to account for modern amenities.
A danger for nearly any construction technique. Adding any fiber to the mix (straw, wool, wood, hair, cotton) will markedly strengthen them. As would firing.
Already printing using Portland cement. Huge derrick guides a big hose that lays down a ribbon of cement to build up the walls. Thickness is set for inside or outside walls.
I think JE Green tried such a system but it didn’t work out with enough sales to stay in the business.
I was thinking White Anglo Saxon Protestants. WASPS. Is there anything they can’t do? Now they are printing houses.
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