A two-story building, constructed using 3D printing
Innovation drives development
Technology leads the future
“Printing” a building!
Handan has completed the largest 3D printed building in the country
Recently
The “Hebei News Broadcast” and the “Hebei Daily” client
reported successively
on the 3D printing technology of Hebei Quantum Intelligent Technology in Feixiang District
Recently, staff from Hebei Quantum Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. studied external decoration plans in front of the 3D printed building in the factory area.
From a distance, it looks like an ordinary two-story building, but up close, one can see that the walls, over 7 meters high, are made up of layers stacked on top of each other, with each layer approximately 2 centimeters thick. It is hard to imagine that the walls of this building were entirely completed by a 3D printer over a period of more than three months, making it the first 3D printed building in Handan.
On July 14, the reporter visited Hebei Quantum Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., where a two-story building with an area of over 2000 square meters is undergoing internal decoration and will later be used as a cafeteria for employees.
How was such a “massive structure” printed?
“Combining 3D printing technology with traditional construction requires overcoming a series of challenges, such as the impact of the heavy load of giant 3D printers causing vibrations that affect precision, and the varying solidification times of printing materials due to changes in the external environment,” said Zhang Chao, General Manager of Hebei Quantum Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. He explained that the company has independently developed a frame-type printing device equipped with two printing heads working simultaneously. Through complex algorithms for reconstruction and topology optimization, they have tackled the problem of large errors in large-scale printing, making on-site printing of large buildings a reality without the need for secondary assembly.
“Our fifth-generation building 3D printer can control printing precision within 0.1 millimeters, equivalent to the diameter of a human hair.” Entering the interior of the 3D printed building under renovation, Zhang Chao touched the gray walls and stated that the performance of the printing materials also affects the building’s precision. The materials they use have a proprietary formula and can also turn waste into treasure.
In the laboratory of Hebei Quantum Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., the reporter saw the raw materials needed for producing printing materials—these include not only ordinary cement but also various powders made from industrial solid waste such as fly ash, mineral powder, and tailings sand. The proportion of solid waste in the company’s printing materials exceeds 45%, effectively reducing material costs.
“The high-performance mortar-like material ejected from the printing head also contains additives such as polypropylene fibers, basalt fibers, and steel fibers, which can enhance the material’s flexural and crack resistance,” explained Zhao Yi, Director of the R&D Center. He noted that if the lower layer of printing material solidifies too slowly and does not achieve sufficient strength, it cannot support the weight of the upper layer, leading to wall deformation or even collapse. Conversely, if it solidifies too quickly, there will be insufficient adhesion with the upper layer. Each type of fiber has unique chemical properties, and during the printing process, technicians must adjust the proportions of additives in real-time based on changes in outdoor temperature, humidity, and specific construction methods to ensure stable interlayer adhesion and consistent solidification times for each layer of material.
The greening of building materials saves energy and reduces costs. Zhao Yi calculated an “economic account”: compared to traditional construction methods, the overall cost of 3D printed buildings has decreased by about 30%. In terms of materials, due to the use of a large amount of solid waste, costs are reduced by about half compared to concrete, and as technology matures, printing times will further shorten.
3D printed houses have cost advantages, but how is safety ensured?
Zhao Yi held a report jointly verified by experts from the National Center for Quality Supervision and Testing of Construction Engineering and the China Academy of Building Research, stating that although the walls of the 3D printed building are completed by printing, the beams and roof still use a sturdy steel frame for support. Professional testing has shown that the building can withstand an 8-magnitude earthquake.
“Since the company was established five years ago, we have adhered to innovation to promote the integration of 3D printing technology with traditional construction, investing over 40 million yuan in R&D each year,” Zhang Chao said. They have established a technology R&D center in collaboration with Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology and Hebei University of Engineering, and have obtained five invention patents and multiple utility model patents.
Editor | Wang Sifa (Intern)
Proofreader | Song Ning
Initial Review | Zhao Chengyue, Li Bo
Review | Jiang He, Xu Suxia
Source | Hebei Daily, Hebei News Broadcast
WeChat | feixuanxuan1
Hotline | 8565659
Email | [email protected]
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