CyBe Construction Unveils New Mobile 3D Concrete Printer, the CyBe RC 3Dp
Sarah Saunders
Netherlands-based CyBe Construction has only been around for a few years, but in that short time, they’ve been making some big advancements in the world of 3D concrete printing. Last year, they released their 3D printable mortar, a quick-drying environmentally friendly cement product that can be formed into load-bearing structures within an hour. The rapid drying rate means their revolutionary material can be easily printed into freeform or parametric designs that don’t need traditional frames and support structures. Just a few months ago, the company collaborated with another Dutch construction company, Heijmans, to make and test useful construction elements by utilizing 3D concrete printing to successfully create both a hollow formwork and a formwork with straight and double curved sides. CyBe’s company goal is written right on their homepage: “Redefining Construction by enabling 3D Concrete printing.” Their newest innovation is certainly in line with this intention: they have developed a mobile 3D concrete printer, called the CyBe RC 3Dp.
It is not the first mobile 3D concrete printer, but it is certainly much more massive than the one created by Lund University students last year. The CyBe RC 3Dp is able to move thanks to a set of caterpillar tracks, which opens up new construction opportunities, as it is capable of onsite 3D concrete printing. It is based on CyBe’s original 3D concrete printer, the CyBe R 3Dp, but with an extended printing range. The original CyBe R 3Dp has already proven its mettle, being used in several projects like the 3D concrete printing of flow-profile sewer pits and a 3D printed bench.
The new mobile printer is the next step on the way to a fully automatic integrated 3D concrete printing system. This is what CyBe has been working toward since its inception. 3D concrete printing can open up all sorts of new and innovative project solutions that traditional building methods just can’t complete, such as automatic building processes, complex form designs, and the ability to reduce time and cost. It is also more eco-friendly, because of its reduced CO2-emission and waste.
Here’s a look at the technical specs of the new CyBe RC 3Dp:
Printing Speed: 200 mm/s
Layer Height: 30 mm, thanks to the fast curing CyBe MORTAR
Printing Range: 2.75 meters
Maximum Height: 4.5 meters
Operators Needed: 2 people
Power Supply: Electricity, 380V
The CyBe RC 3Dp package also includes the CyBe 3D printable MORTAR material, the CyBe CHYSEL and CyBe ARTISAN software, and the CyBe MIXER, which obviously mixes the concrete.
Last month, the company put the CyBe RC 3Dp through its paces, and implemented a number of necessary tests. Now, they’re ready to send it out into the world for some new construction projects. In the first quarter of 2017, CyBe will take their new mobile 3D concrete printer to Dubai, so it can be used to print the new R&Drone Laboratory for the Dubai Electrical and Water Authority (DEWA). CyBe will be designing, engineering, and producing the 3D concrete printed building components on site. Other partners in the project are architecture firm Wanders-Wagner, CONVRGNT (as the main contractor), and structural engineers Witteveen+Bos.
CyBe Construction ultimately wants their customers to be able to create products faster, cheaper, and with increased quality, and they believe that their outstanding 3D concrete printing technology will help them achieve this goal. The company is utilizing 3D concrete printing in more projects, both large and small, in order to show off the benefits of this technology. The new CyBe RC 3Dp makes it possible to print all kinds of 3D concrete products, like walls, sewer pits, floors, and much more. In time, they’re hoping that contractors and precast factories will add 3D concrete printing techniques to their manufacturing processes. To see some of the other projects they’ve worked on, or to discuss implementing 3D concrete printing for your own project, visit their Technology page. If you want to see the printer in action, take a look at the company’s ‘sneak peek’ video:
