this post was submitted on 04 Nov 2023
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[โ€“] [email protected] 19 points 9 months ago (1 children)

We can 3D print buildings so we're almost there.

[โ€“] [email protected] 40 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Sort of... we can 3D print walls out of specific concrete blends that run nicely through an extended hose system that runs from the mud pump to the print nozzle. But, concrete has a limited time as mud before it starts to harden, so you can only print for so many hours before you have to stop and flush out the pump and hoses before it turns into rock, and the concrete mix can't be too chunky (like including gravel) to flow through the system.

Also, if you get all that right, then you can print walls... but not structural frames that would support a multistory building, or plumbing or electrical wiring or insulation or windows or roofs...

We're a long way from 3D printing a building wholesale.