3D Printing in Construction: Materials, Applications, and Advantages

The 3D printing market is fast expanding. It reached $17.38 billion last year and is projected to hit a whopping $98.31 billion by 2032.

Perhaps most excitingly, the technology promises to revolutionize how we design and build structures by improving quality, ensuring worker safety, reducing costs, increasing efficiency, and driving sustainable business practices.

Let’s explore the methods behind 3D printing in construction, its advantages and disadvantages, how the technology is being used today, and what the future holds.

Methods Used in 3D Printing for Construction

In construction, 3D printing — also known as additive manufacturing — refers to the process of printing layer-upon-layer of construction materials to create three-dimensional shapes. 3D printers receive design information via computer-aided design (CAD) or building information modeling (BIM) programs to produce specific components or entire structures.

This is achieved via various methods: 

1. Extrusion

This 3D printing technique works by layering material back and forth via a nozzle mounted onto a gantry system, robotic arm, or crane. Extrusion most often consists of a robotic arm releasing polymers or concrete material.

2. Powder Bonding

For this method, powdered raw materials are the primary component, and prints are created via powder bed fusion or binder jetting. Powder bed fusion melts powder particles with a laser onto a selected object, one layer at a time. Binder jetting uses a print head to deposit a liquid bonding agent to the powder printing bed. This liquid binds the powder particles together to create each of the layers of the print. 3D printers that use powder bed fusion work with a wide range of materials, including metals and silica, and achieve high-level precision.  

3. Spraying

Cold spray additive manufacturing leverages a high-velocity gas jet to accelerate construction materials onto a substrate and repeats this process layer by layer. The technique is particularly effective when it comes to repairing corroded or damaged parts, but it can also be used to form an entire component. 

Each of these 3D printing techniques can be combined with other technologies. Additive welding, for example, solidifies construction materials into place as they are printed. This is particularly useful for developing structures that don’t have a foundation, such as bridges. 

Plastic, concrete, sand, metals, and mortar are among the most popular choices of construction materials for 3D printing. Composites are also used to emulate materials including wood, marble, and ceramic. For example, wood filaments for 3D printing are typically 70% PLA and 30% sawdust and other wood fibers.   

The materials used will continue to diversify as 3D printing technology advances.

5 Advantages of 3D Printing in Construction

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The key benefits of 3D printing in construction include: 

1. Customization

3D printer-aided construction provides companies with greater flexibility than conventional construction to create complex, high-functioning, and completely customized designs.

For example, if a client requests a unique building design, featuring complex shapes or an unconventional layout, it is straightforward to modify the 3D printing software to produce one-of-a-kind components, buildings, and other structures. 

2. Sustainability

Globally, the construction sector is responsible for 23% of air pollution, 40% of drinking water pollution, 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, and 50% of landfill. 

3D printing drives sustainable construction by ensuring that only the required amount of materials are used, leading to cost savings and significant waste reduction. In addition, 3D printers can work with recycled materials, including plastics and concrete.

3. Efficiency  

It’s not uncommon for traditional construction projects to take 20% longer than expected to complete, which can result in as much as 80% in cost overruns.

3D printing technology, which accelerates the prototyping process, prints parts in a matter of hours and quickly adjusts to design changes to reduce overruns by 70%. As well as keeping clients happy, this enables workers to commit to multiple projects and increase their income.  

4. Safety

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that one in 10 workers are injured on construction sites each year. 3D printing reduces accidents by performing some of the most dangerous on-site tasks, thus enabling workers to assume supervisory roles. 

5. Cost

3D printing drives operational efficiencies, improves quality, reduces wastage, and lowers labor costs. Not only does this ensure that a project stays within budget, but it also results in happier clients and, ultimately, more repeat customers. 

5 Applications of 3D Printing in Construction

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3D printers are used to create architectural models, prototypes, formwork solutions, structural components, and buildings. 

1. Architectural Models

These 3D scale models are used to visualize designs and communicate design intent. Depending on the size, complexity, and material requirements, 3D printers can quickly produce accurate architectural models.   

2. Prototypes

In construction,a prototype is a preliminary model of a new product. It provides construction companies with a visual representation of the product, while also enabling product testing and informing future design iterations. 

3. Formwork Solutions

Formwork provides a mold into which construction materials, like concrete, can be poured. The material is held in place until it has solidified and is strong enough to support itself. Formwork solutions are a particularly useful application for 3D printing since the materials rarely need to be long-lasting or highly durable.   

4. Buildings

Increasingly, 3D printers are producing entire buildings and other structures, including temporary shelters, permanent homes and offices, and bridges. This offers a less costly and quicker construction process. 

5. Structural Components

When a complete structure or building is too difficult to produce via a 3D printer, companies may opt to print individual components. Manufacturing construction elements is a cost-effective, sustainable, and efficient method for producing specific parts. 

6 Challenges and Limitations of 3D Printing in Construction

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3D printing promises to revolutionize the construction market, but the technology is not without its challenges: 

1. Cost

3D-printed buildings are typically much less expensive to produce than traditionally constructed buildings. Nonetheless, the upfront costs associated with installing a 3D printer are high. In addition, 3D printing devices require ongoing maintenance and can be difficult to transport between construction sites. 

2. Labor

Construction labor shortages are an ongoing problem. According to the Xometry Career in Manufacturing Report 2023, 47% of survey respondents strongly agree with the statement “We are experiencing labor shortages,” with another 36% somewhat agreeing. 

Indeed, Associated Builders and Contractors estimates that construction firms will need to attract around 546,000 additional workers — surplus to the normal pace of hiring — to meet the growing demand for labor. Skilled workers are needed to operate 3D printing technology, but the industry may not be able to find them. 

3. Quality 

There are a couple of reasons why 3D printing technology might impact product quality.

Firstly, for quality assurance purposes, it is standard practice for project supervisors to review their teams’ work. 3D printing automates processes like these, which means companies must depend on the technology’s precision and accuracy to produce the desired end product.

Secondly, 3D printers often use raw materials, recycled materials, and composites, which could diminish product quality and longevity. This is somewhat less concerning when models or other temporary structures are being printed. However, companies must carefully consider their material choices when developing permanent structures and buildings.

4. Regulations

Thanks to the technology’s rapid advancements, there are currently no definitive regulations for 3D printing at a construction site. It will take time before universal building regulations reflect new technologies, but companies must be prepared to implement compliant business practices once they do.  

5. Materials  

The construction industry is experimenting with a wide range of 3D printing materials, but plastics, composites, and concrete are the most commonly used. Until 3D printers can work effectively with all construction materials, the technology won’t be universally serviceable.  

6. Scalability  

Although large-scale 3D printers can print whole buildings and structures, these machines are neither practical nor widely available. 

Case Studies of 3D-Printed Construction Projects

In recent years, the construction industry has achieved some truly incredible feats in 3D printing.

World’s Largest 3D-Printed Building

In June 2023, Printed Farms used COBOD’s BOD2 construction 3D printer to build the world’s largest 3D-printed building. With a total floor area of 10,105 square feet and a height of 13 feet, the luxury horse barn is located in Wellington, Florida.

World’s Tallest 3D-Printed Building

In 2022, COBOD and Dar Al Arkan built the world’s tallest 3D-printed building. The 33-foot-tall building in Saudi Arabia. 

Largest 3D-Printed Affordable Housing Project

14Trees is lauded for the largest 3D-printed affordable housing project. The company, which was founded in Africa, seeks to revolutionize the future of construction by accelerating the production and delivery of sustainable buildings. In February, it completed the printing of 10 housing units in Kenya. The project has received IFC-EDGE Advanced Sustainable Design certification by The World Bank.

Headline-Making 3D-Printed Buildings

Chinese company WinSun was responsible for the world’s tallest 3D-printed structure at the time it was built in 2015. WinSun’s impressive structure is a five-story apartment block. A 3D printer measuring 20 feet tall, 33 feet wide, and 132 feet long created the building using materials including fiber, steel, cement, hardening agents, and recycled material waste.

Austin-based startup, Icon, recently celebrated the opening of its first model home at Wolf Ranch, a 100-home community created using 3D printers. The company previously built several small homes in Austin, Texas, which were designed for those experiencing extreme poverty and homelessness. Its Community First! Village is a 51-acre community that provides affordable and permanent housing to those coming out of chronic homelessness. 

Amsterdam’s 3D-Printed Pedestrian Bridge 

In 2021, Dutch robotics company MX3D unveiled a 12-meter 3D-printed pedestrian bridge, which is made from stainless steel rods. Named the MX3D Bridge, it was designed by the Dutch studio Joris Laarman Lab and used 4,500 kilograms of stainless steel.

Future Trends in 3D Printing in Construction

3D printing provides a wealth of benefits to the entire construction sector. For the most part, it’s cheaper, quicker, and safer than traditional building methods, not to mention that it offers far greater design flexibility. 

Today, the technology is used to print everything from prototypes and individual components to complex structures like bridges and apartment blocks. 

Though challenges surrounding high upfront costs, scalability, product quality, and regulations do remain, the adoption of 3D printing in construction looks set to rapidly expand in the coming years.