The latest company to join the 3D printed construction field is Be More 3D, a Spanish startup that grew out of the Technical University of Valencia. The company’s claim to fame is the BEM1 pro, a giant 3D printer capable of printing a house in 12 hours – or even faster.
“This process allows us to reduce the costs of the building of houses by up to 35 per cent, saving time and minimising the pollution and labour risks that are caused by building,” said Be More 3D Co-Founder Vicente Ramirez. “Building a house can be done in eight hours by turning up the speed of the machine.”
Be More 3D began as an entrepreneurial project three years ago, and quickly went from 3D printing with plastic to 3D printing with concrete in less than a year. The company was entirely self-financed, though as it has become more well-known it has attracted several supporters of its projects.
The BEM1 pro is being used to 3D print seven houses, with bedroom, bathroom, and living and dining rooms, in the city of Cuenca, in the province of Castille-Mancha in Spain. Eventually, Be More 3D expects to have many more orders, however, including in South America and the Far East. Houses such as these, that can be constructed in less than a day and for minimal cost, have been much talked-about as a possible solution to homelessness in underdeveloped areas or places stricken by war or natural disaster.
Other homes have been 3D printed in as little as 24 hours, but to do it in 12, or even 8, may put Be More 3D at the head of the 3D printing speed race in the field of construction. Although the frame of the house is built autonomously, Be More 3D’s houses still require a bit of human intervention, as most 3D printed construction does.
“After the initial build, we have to put on the roof with pre-made panels, and put in the windows, doors, taps and waterproofing,” said Ramirez.
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[Source: Daily Mail / Images: Be More 3D]