3D Printing News Briefs, July 22, 2023: Renewable Energy, Construction, Shoes, & More

We’re kicking off today’s 3D Printing News Briefs with additive construction, as RCAM Technologies will purchase a gantry robot system from CyBe Construction and PERI 3D Construction has begun work on what it says is the first 3D printed public building in Europe. Moving on to automotive applications, free CAD files have been released for Ram Rampage DIY pickup truck accessories. Finally, Moncler has partnered with Zellerfeld on a 3D printed trail shoe.

RCAM Technologies to Purchase CyBe Printer for Renewable Energy Construction

3D printed concrete solutions provider RCAM Technologies is on a mission to reduce the cost of offshore renewable energy, and has already developed a number of helpful innovations, including energy storage pods and substructures for floating renewable energy applications like floating wind, solar, and wave energy, and land-based wind turbine towers. It recently signed a deal to purchase the CyBe GR, an advanced gantry robot system that prints concrete at 500 mm per second, from CyBe Construction. This will help RCAM speed up adoption of renewable energy by reducing costs, as well as environmental impacts related to infrastructure manufacturing, as these types of structures can be manufactured sustainably and domestically using 3D concrete printing. The acquisition of the printer was facilitated by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) program opportunity notice funding for Energy Storage Technology and Product Development, and grant funding for the California Energy Commission (CEC)’s Advancing Designs for Floating Offshore Wind Mooring Lines and Anchors. The CyBe GR will be integrated into the company’s dockside 3D concrete printing facility at the Port of Los Angeles AltaSea campus.

Jason Cotrell, the Founder and CEO of RCAM Technologies, said, “This transformative technology takes us leaps and bounds beyond our current capabilities, paving the way for a more sustainable, cost-effective future, aligned with RCAM’s forward-thinking mission.”

PERI 3D Construction Starts Work on Europe’s “First” 3D Printed Public Building

Europe’s First 3D Printed Public Building, a football clubhouse in Nordkirchen, Germany

Additive construction company PERI 3D Construction, part of the PERI Group, is continuing to show that AC has applications beyond housing, as it’s begun work in Nordkirchen, Germany on what it says is Europe’s first 3D printed public building: a two-story football clubhouse. A 25 x 13 x 10 m BOD2 model by COBOD International, which is the largest printer configuration to date, is being used to print the future home of the SC Capelle team, playing in the third division in Germany. The building’s unique design was created by architectural firm Steinhoff Architekten, and will feature 330 m2 of usable floor space, all of which is projected to be completed within 140 hours thanks to 3D printing.

“In the face of significant challenges such as a skilled worker shortage and stagnating productivity in construction, 3D construction printing offers an urgently needed solution to build faster, cheaper, and with less material usage,” said Dr. Fabian Meyer-Brötz, Managing Director of PERI 3D Construction.

DIY 3D Printed Accessories System for Ram Rampage Pickup Truck

Ram Rampage Laramie

In 2022, Ford released CAD files so owners of its Maverick Truck could 3D print DIY customized components, such as the Ford Integrated Tether System (FITS) that lets drivers develop custom slots to be slipped into the cabin to hold things like cupholders and trash cans. Now, Stellantis has taken a page from Ford’s book and released its own DIY 3D printed accessories system for the new Ram Rampage pickup truck. This new system is called the Mopar 3D Lab, and lets drivers add anything to their Rampage that they feel is missing.

Mopar 3D Lab offers free designs to customers so they’re able to print a variety of accessories for their pickup. At the initial launch, six designs will be available, including trash hooks, phone holders, and a vintage ornament, all of which can fit on the center console’s lower section. But drivers aren’t limited to these six designs, and are encouraged to make their own bespoke 3D printable truck accessories, so long as they fit in the slots. The Drive authors Peter Holderith and Rob Stumpf 3D printed some unique accessories, such as a solar-powered heat extractor and a gyroscopic dog water bowl. These kinds of personalized truck accessories are a great application for 3D printing.

Moncler & Zellerfeld Create 3D Printed Trail Shoe

Finally, Italian luxury fashion house Moncler has entered the world of 3D printed footwear, partnering with Zellerfeld, a bona fide 3D shoe printing expert, for the Trailgrip Sneaker. Part of Moncler’s Fall/Winter 2023 footwear showroom in Paris, titled Studio Ascenti, the limited release shoe was reserved solely for members of Moncler’s worldwide footwear community who could attend the launch, but a more commercially available 3D printed shoe by the two partners could be coming in the future. The Trailgrip was printed in a stone gray, monochromatic finish out of a single, recyclable material, which is in line with Zellerfeld’s design ideology and part of Moncler’s commitment to eco-consciousness. Zellerfeld makes 3D printed, washable shoes using lattices, rather than glue and stitching, and after a person is done with their pair, the shoes can be dropped off at a recycling point, broken down, and remade. This is obviously a footwear match made in heaven.

“As Moncler’s first venture into 3D-printing, this collaboration serves as a monumental moment for the footwear industry and further underscores the significant shift brands are taking to break away from the conventional factory manufacturing process,” said Cornelius Schmitt, Co-Founder and CEO of Zellerfeld. “Luxury fashion houses like Moncler are driving the future of fashion by embracing 3D-printing production models as the new standard.”