3D printing specialist Apis Cor has completed the world’s largest 3D-printed building. The basic structure of the government building in Dubai was constructed using just one 3D printer, although construction workers were still heavily involved.
The two-storey government building is 9.5 m high and has a total floor area of 640 m². The construction was very similar to other 3D-printed projects: a cement mixture was built up in layers to form the basic structure of the government building. Because the building is so large, the 3D printer was moved using a crane, allowing one section to be built at a time. Only three Apis Cor employees were on site to operate the machine; the entire project took just three weeks.
Although the project represents a significant step forward, a fair number of construction workers were still required. As well as laying the foundations, fitting the windows, doors and roof, and installing the wiring, etc., the construction workers also installed reinforcing steel and poured concrete to provide structural support. The project has provided Apis Cor with unique knowledge and invaluable experience that will help the company to improve the technology and develop a new version of the 3D printer. The improved version will not only be more reliable but also twice as fast. Furthermore, a proprietary 3D mix was tested and refined during the project. Apis Cor previously won NASA’s Space Habitat Challenge.
