3D printers are one of technology's finest inventions. The incredibly complex and highly practical products that have come about as a result of 3D printers are endless. This incomparable piece of technology has managed to produce rockets, bones, and now, entire buildings!
In fact, the practice of creating houses using 3D printers is slowly but surely becoming a reality in the construction industry. And for good reason; 3D homes are more affordable, sustainable, and durable than homes made using conventional building methods.
Yes, high-tech houses are built to resist fire, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, hail, and flooding. And the technology behind creating these homes allows for a much more efficient construction process.
And one recently-constructed 3D-home, created in under 48 hours, is a prime example this state of the art efficiency.
Take a look at the fascinating construction process:The house in question was the brainchild of startup construction company Icon and non-profit New Story and is the first permitted 3D-printed home.
The tiny 350 square-foot house is located in Austin, Texas and is "proof-of-concept for sustainable homebuilding that will allow for safer, more affordable homes for more families, faster than ever," according to a press release.
Brett Hagler, CEO of New Story, explains, "We feel it's our responsibility to challenge traditional methods and work toward ending homelessness. By working with Icon and leveraging their 3D printing innovations, we're able to reach more families with the best possible shelter solutions, exponentially faster."
There are a number of advantages that 3D printing has over commonly-used methods of construction.
According to Jason Ballard, co-founder of Icon, very little waste is produced using this more technologically advanced method.
"...You also have speed, a much broader design palette, next-level resiliency, and the possibility of a quantum leap in affordability. This isn't 10 percent better, [it's] 10 times better," he adds.
Incredibly, the printed portion of the house cost just $10,000 to create and New Story and Icon hope to produce similar homes for less than half the price in the future.
While the prototype was being developed, Icon's Vulcan printer was only running at 25% speed, according to INSIDER. This has given confidence they can build a 600-800 square foot home in just 24 hours for $4,000, as per Business Insider.
New Story charity expands;
"The first version of the printer, Vulcan 1, was unveiled at South by Southwest in Austin, TX, in March 2018. In 2019, a modified and improved version, Vulcan 2, will print the world’s first 3D printed community."
This article was originally posted on Craft Factory.
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