North China getting into 3D house printing

(chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2016-03-10

Qingshan district in Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, signed an agreement recently with the Yingchuang Construction Technology (Shanghai) Co on a 3D house printing industrial park project, meaning a new step in China's 3D development from the micro level to the "huge".

The agreement calls for Yingchuan to finish its construction on a 5,000-square-meter experience center to exhibit world-class 3D printing facilities and printed works of house, residential areas, sculptures, and gardens by this April, so that people can "touch" them, to bring the house and building 3D printing technology experience to northern China.

This project is expected to cost 2 billion yuan ($307 million) and to be worth 5 billion yuan in business in 3 years and 10 billion yuan in 5 years.

3D house printing technology uses an intelligent printing array consisting of several huge printers and use multi-directional automated sprays emitting a recyclable combination of cement and glass fiber that is used to print building walls layer-by-layer. The technology can spare construction workers from having to work in hazardous, dusty environments, as well as largely easing environment press from construction waste.

Yingchuang is engaged in R&D in new materials for construction and has worked with the cities of Shanghai and Suzhou in applications of its technology with several 3D printed buildings put into use there.