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Giant 3D Printer Builds Homes in 20 Hours

By - Source: Dvice

Add entire homes to the list of things you can now make using a 3D printer.

Over the past couple of years 3D printing has become more and more impressive, capable of quickly and efficiently creating a large range of objects. But one professor from the University of Southern California has dared to dream even bigger, developing a 3D printing system that could effectively print an entire home in less than a full day.

TEDxOjai - Behrokh Khoshnevis - Contour Crafting: Automated Construction

Called Contour Crafting, the process involves utilizing a gigantic 3D printer that is placed overhead an empty lot where the home will be built. The machine builds walls with multiple layers of concrete, adding plumbing and electrical wiring as it goes and eventually leaves a complete home that only needs doors and windows to complete.

If that wasn't impressive enough, the system can also robotically paint walls or add tiles to the floors. Although Contour Crafting was created with the thought of easy to build, low cost housing in mind, the process can be modified to create luxurious homes or larger buildings. For more information on the project, head on over to the Contour Crafting webpage.


There are 61 Comments.
Top Comments
  • 19
    Jerky_san , August 8, 2012 10:06 PM
    Wish I could invest in this..
  • 19
    inerax , August 8, 2012 10:15 PM
    Wow.... wonder if this would lower the price of a home. Would the machine cost the same as labor?
  • 55
    Pyree , August 8, 2012 10:17 PM
    Use italic to build the Tower of Pisa.
  • 21
    Netherscourge , August 8, 2012 10:19 PM
    You probably need "labor" just to set the machine itself up on the empty lot where the house is going to be "printed".

    And then it needs to be disassembled and removed once finished.
  • 20
    leo2kp , August 8, 2012 10:21 PM
    Convenience will keep costs high, of course.
  • 21
    Netherscourge , August 8, 2012 10:30 PM
    I'm sure labor unions will picket these machines and throw stuff at them and scream profanities at them.

    Even though the machines can do more in 20 hours than a whole team of construction workers can do in a week.

    And the machine won't demand pay increases 24 hours after signing the building contract.
  • 14
    d_kuhn , August 8, 2012 10:33 PM
    Cool idea, I think it'll likely cost more than he's predicting but may still be cost effective. However... he's dreaming if he thinks it wouldn't decimate the labor market for the construction industry. Loss of a lot of labor jobs and gain of a few high skill tech jobs (similar to the robotics industry).
Other Comments
  • 55
    Pyree , August 8, 2012 10:17 PM
    Use italic to build the Tower of Pisa.
  • 21
    Netherscourge , August 8, 2012 10:30 PM
    I'm sure labor unions will picket these machines and throw stuff at them and scream profanities at them.

    Even though the machines can do more in 20 hours than a whole team of construction workers can do in a week.

    And the machine won't demand pay increases 24 hours after signing the building contract.
  • 21
    Netherscourge , August 8, 2012 10:19 PM
    You probably need "labor" just to set the machine itself up on the empty lot where the house is going to be "printed".

    And then it needs to be disassembled and removed once finished.
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