The 3D printer at the University of Maine can scale up to print 454 kg of material per hour and complete a house in two days.
Habib Dagher, the executive director of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC) at the University of Maine, and his team have developed the largest polymer 3D printer in the world named “Future Factory 1.0,” which could address the housing crisis in the state and revolutionize 3D house printing, according to CNN. “People cannot find housing because it is too expensive. We also have an aging population, and there are fewer electricians, plumbers, and builders,” Dagher stated.
3D-printed BioHome3D by the largest 3D printer in the world. (Photo: University of Maine).
In recent years, 3D printing technology has been used to build everything from bridges and churches to homes. The vast majority of current 3D printers use concrete, with robotic arms equipped with nozzles layering wet concrete according to the desired shape. ASCC is taking a different approach. Their giant printer, along with its predecessor recognized by the Guinness World Records as the “largest prototype polymer 3D printer in the world,” is the only printer that builds houses using surplus wood, Dagher explained.
The ASCC technology has been tested. In late 2022, the University of Maine introduced “BioHome3D,” a 55.7 m² house for a family, which is the world’s first 3D-printed house made from 100% wood fiber and biodegradable plastic. While using concrete, the printer can only create walls, but the floors, roofs, and walls of BioHome3D are all 3D printed, Dagher noted. Concrete houses also require on-site construction, which can be a significant issue, especially during snowy winters. When bad weather persists for two weeks, the printer cannot operate. In contrast, ASCC pre-fabricates modules at the university and assembles them on-site to create BioHome3D.
The new printer can produce objects measuring 29.3 m long, 9.8 m wide, and 5.5 m high, while printing up to 227 kg of material per hour. Dagher shared that the research team’s goal is to print 454 kg of material per hour. At that speed, they could print BioHome3D in 48 hours. If they can meet this target, their 3D-printed houses will be competitively priced compared to current housing construction costs. The house is also sustainable. When homeowners no longer need it, the house can be crushed to print something else. ASCC uses surplus wood from local sawmills in its research and is looking for ways to scale production using this byproduct.
However, processing wood materials at high speeds can be challenging. Even ASCC’s record-speed printer occasionally jams. For instance, while printing BioHome3D, the printer stopped due to wood shavings accumulation. Additionally, there are several obstacles to overcome, such as establishing building codes that companies must comply with. 3D printers cannot replace traditional construction methods.
Currently, ASCC is looking for ways to integrate electrical wiring and plumbing into the printing process. The next major project for the printer is a residential community of nine houses for the homeless. ASCC is collaborating with a local nonprofit organization to design the project and plans to start printing in 2025.
