3D Printing in Concrete (2019-04)¶

The application of 3D printing and the introduction of digital technologies into the concrete construction sector are the result of the appropriation and repurposing of technology initially developed for other materials, such as resins and plastics. This would be a good time to introduce the need to improve performance on the construction site. The construction industry accounts for 13% of industrial expenditures worldwide, but only 1% of annual growth in productivity. It is a sector that has a long tradition of low productivity and stunted technological capabilities, in comparison with the technical developments in other industries that have largely automated and digitized their manufacturing processes. The reasons for this conservative outlook are numerous and often stem from the uniqueness of each building, which, in practice, does not allow processes to be reproduced and, to a certain extent, limits the technical framework on the site. The low productivity brought about by methods that are a burden to implement results in high production costs, which make it difficult for companies to develop.