3D Printed Construction Mesh Structures

Here are some examples how 3d meshes can be used to reinforce building structures. This technique is probably much more useful and applicable then cement paste extrusion.


Mesh Mould uses steel wire:




Project description:

The research project Mesh Mould investigates the unification of reinforcement and formwork into a single robotically fabricated material system. During the first research phase a spatial robotic extrusion process was developed, allowing to examine the interdependencies of mesh typology and rheological behavior of concrete (see Mesh Mould 2012 - 2014).

The second research phase at the National Competence Centre in Research (NCCR) Digital Fabrication focuses on the translation of the structurally weak polymer-based extrusion process into a fully load-bearing construction system. The current research focuses on the development of a fully automated bending and welding process for meshes fabricated from 3 mm steel wire.

The research involves the development of a fabrication-, and structurally-informed mesh typology as well as the subsequent collaborative development of a specialized robotic end-effector together with the Agile & Dexterous Robotics Lab of Professor Jonas Buchli.

More information on this project can be found at:

http://gramaziokohler.arch.ethz.ch/web/e/forschung/316.html


digiFABTuring and their robot arm attached plastic extruder which is more similar to common 3d printheads and could be done in a home workshop:

Here is a complete wall system with 3d printed polymer matrix made by Branch Technology:

They 3D printed a 7-foot-tall-by-3-foot-wide wall in 30 hours, and are currently extruding at a rate of 1.5 pounds per hour. The wall has a spray foam insulation, concrete core and inside/outside finish layer.

More info:

http://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/this-architect-designed-wall-system-has-a-3d-printed-core_o

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Arc Bicycle 3D Printed with MX3D Robotic Arm

Arc Bicycle is made from a metal lattice frame 3D printed with MX3D robotic arm. It looks very cool, both futuristic and organic.





Project description:

A student team from TU Delft in the Netherlands designed and produced a fully functional 3D printed stainless steel bicycle. The students achieved the goal of their three-month project by printing the frame of the with the help of MX3D in Amsterdam. The Arc Bicycle is the first ever 3D printed metal bicycle to be produced using a welding process. For information please contact:

Project Coordinator: J.C.Verlinden@tudelft.nl

Student Team: arcbicycle@gmail.com

MX3D: press@mx3d.com

Here you can see a close-up of frame being 3d printed with metal welding 3d print head attached to industrial grade robotic arm:

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3D printable open source liquid fuel rocket engine

Graham Sortino from New Jersey developed and tested 3d printed rocket liquid fuel engine. He went one step further and open sourced it! The engine is controlled by Arduino Uno! We live in amazing times!

The engine is made from three main modules: the igniter, injector, and the main engine body, all of which were SLS 3D printed by Shapeways and ExOne in bronze steel and machined afterwards to get the exact fit. Post-processing is a problem due to hardness of sintered metal so some tools break, the internal coolant lines are still not possible to 3d print due the geometry complexity and metal powder residues. 

The price is very low: 3d printed igniter costs some $60, the injector $80 and the rocket engine $260, for a total of just $400. Space exploration with extremely low budget!

The engine is still in development and not yet finished but it is a big step forward in open sourcing aerospace engineering! 

Engine specifications:

• Fuel: GOX / Ethanol
• Fuel Mass Flow: 0.0545 kg/sec
• Oxidizer Mass Flow: 0.0545 kg/sec
• Total Mass Flow: 0.1093 kg/sec
• Design Mixture Ratio: 1:1
• Design Force: 50 lbf
• Design Chamber Pressure: 150 psia
• Design Temp: 2572 Kelvin
• Design Specific Impulse: 209 Isp 

Here are some photos of it:

Ignited engine. You can clearly see the mach diamonds.

3D printed engine and main lines / sensors

Here you can see a live test fire and mach diamonds:




Project homepage with files and instructions:

http://wiki.fubarlabs.org/FubarWiki/Small-Liquid-Fueled-Rocket-Engines.ashx

GitHub repository:

https://github.com/gNSortino/OSREngines/tree/master/Engines/2014-GOXEthanolRegenEngine

For previous 3d printed rocket engine named "Tri-D" look at:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2013/10/students-developed-and-successfully.html

To boldly go where no one has gone before!

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Molten3D TIG welding DIY metal 3d printer by Steve Delaire

Here is new DIY 3d metal printer based on a TIG welding  (Tungsten Inert Gas) process created by Steve Delaire. It is still under development but the project is very interesting as is any attempt to make homemade fully functional metal 3d printer.





It uses cheep standard MIG steel wire you can buy anywhere, it maybe even cheaper then the plastic filament.

The output objects are still very rough shapes but the technology is advancing. TIG molten wire is more similar to water then molten plastics, it creates beads so continuous fine layers are much harder to achieve.

Print results from Steves blog. Still very basic but I'm sure he will improve it. 

Project homepage with much more information:

http://molten3d.blogspot.com/


We have seen similar concept based on MIG welder and inverse Delta kinematics:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2014/02/open-source-diy-metal-3d-printer-made.html

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BuildersBot 3d printer and CNC hybrid with welded steel frame

BuildersBot is new 3d printer / CNC hybrid with welded steel frame and big print volume.



Here is video overview of the machine itself and the main technical specs:



It has strong stainless steel MIG welded frame with aluminum rails which is the main fueature. It is controlled by Arduino Mega and a ramps 1.4 board. 3D printing volume is big at 500X600X200. Power is provided by four Nema 23 motors, and on the working end there are 0.5mm J-head and Kress 1050 Spindle MFE for CNC.
BuildersBot is developed by Aldric Negrier.


Construction guide and more details can be found at:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Controlled-CNC-3D-Printer/?ALLSTEPS

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Arup develops 3d printed steel elements for heavy construction

Arup developed 3d printed steel part 

Traditional steel element of same purpose

 From the source:

Using the latest 3D printing techniques, or more accurately, ‘additive manufacturing’ – the Arup team has produced a design method for critical structural steel elements for use in complex projects.

The work signals a whole new direction for the use of additive manufacturing in the field of construction and engineering. The research also shows that additive manufacturing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
We created a redesign of a steel node for a light weight structure using additive manufacturing. Arup has a lot of experience with these kind of structures, for example the tensegrity structure of the Kurilpa Bridge in Australia. The complex geometry of these kind of nodes are an ideal showcase of the possibilities of this new technique.
"By using additive manufacturing we can create lots of complex individually designed pieces far more efficiently. This has tremendous implications for reducing costs and cutting waste. But most importantly, this approach potentially enables a very sophisticated design, without the need to simplify the design in a later stage to lower costs.”– Salomé Galjaard, Team Leader, Arup

A traditionally produced steel node is at the moment still cheaper to produce, but it is expected that this will change in the short term.

Source:

http://www.arup.com/News/2014_06_June/05_June_Construction_steelwork_makes_3D_printing_premiere.aspx

If you have some doubts and want to see more about high strength optimized 3d printed structures, take a look at:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2012/11/fractal-3d-printing-for-ultra-high.html

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