3D printing in construction applies additive manufacturing to building components, but requires coordination of materials, machinery, programming and assembly. In episode 16 of Toque de Ingenio, Alejandro Cavazos, co-founder of Additive Spaces, explains what the technology enables and what still needs development. The interview distinguishes printing one component from the complete process of building a home.
Guest Alejandro Cavazos. Company or organization: Additive spaces.
Interview published: July 1, 2024. Episode: 16. Duration: 1 h 3 min.
In this episode:
- What are the differences between printing on-site and manufacturing prefabricated elements?
- How to prepare geometry, routes, and installations.
- Why industrialization depends on more than just the speed of printing.
A technology that integrates materials, hardware, and software.
Alejandro places 3D construction printing within a developmental process that requires collaboration across several disciplines. The machine deposits material according to a geometry, but the outcome also depends on the properties of that material and how the movement is programmed.
“Software, hardware, and materials”.
Alejandro Cavazos 3:58.
The coordination reminds one of other projects. Industrial automation: A trajectory cannot be evaluated without knowing the tool, the material, and the objective of the process. Technology becomes useful when these elements work together.
The guest presents experiences and ongoing work from Additive Spaces, as discussed in July 2024. The article documents this period of development, but does not present the interview’s insights as a universally accessible resource for any project.
3D printing in construction, both on and off site.
The conversation distinguishes between the initial impression of the on-site manufacturing of components, which are subsequently transported and assembled. Each approach involves different conditions regarding equipment, space, and operation.
In the work, the system must adapt to the location where it is built. In a prefabricated environment, tasks and controls can be organized around an installation. The choice is not solely based on the desired appearance.
For a technical project, this distinction helps to define the process’s boundaries: what is produced, where it is verified, and how it reaches the next operation. The design should include the handling and assembly of the manufactured item.
Designing geometries that leverage the additive process.
Alejandro explains that layered deposition allows for the study of different internal forms and configurations compared to a conventional block. The geometry can respond to personalization objectives and the element’s conditions.
The conversation uses examples of thicknesses, angles, and fills to illustrate possibilities. These examples require a specific project and validation – they are not a general design rule applicable without a particular structure.
La prototype production It allows you to study geometries and their combinations before multiplying them. In industrial development, a process test can help to understand what shapes are obtained consistently and what design modifications are needed.
Also program the areas where no materials are deposited.
Edgar asks about the integration of installations. Alejandro explains that the programming can allow for spaces to be created for elements such as boxes or passageways, rather than simply depositing material continuously across the entire geometry.
This example demonstrates that the print file should be linked to what comes after. When defining the element, it needs to consider connections, gaps, and tasks related to other teams.
The lesson for engineering is to document interfaces. An automated operation can function correctly, but it can still complicate the subsequent one if the entire process hasn’t been designed.
Prefabrication and assembly: another route towards industrialization.
The interview explores the production of modules in a controlled environment. Alejandro links it to possibilities for integration and assembly, as well as for the customization of the elements.
To assess that route, it’s necessary to consider the entire process. Manufacturing a component involves checking it, moving it, and joining it with others. The transport and assembly requirements can alter dimensions and details that appear resolved on screen.
This type of work connects with Product design ready for manufacture.. Industrialization involves preparing a feasible repetition, with clear operations and criteria, as well as developing a geometry.
Distinguishing between a demonstration, a finished work, and user experience.
A relevant ticket arises when Edgar asks for feedback on the mentioned properties. Alejandro clarifies that they were not yet occupied at the time of the conversation.
“They haven’t been inhabited yet”.
Alejandro Cavazos 48:27.
Accuracy is key: having printed materials or a work in progress doesn’t offer the same level of evidence as observing sustained use. Each stage raises different questions about the process and the outcome.
To communicate innovation effectively and with rigor, it’s important to maintain a clear distinction between these elements. The system’s capabilities, the tests conducted, and user observations should not be presented as a single form of validation.
A team that shares a development objective.
Alejandro finished speaking about the team’s commitment and the importance of sharing a common purpose. In a project combining construction and technology, effective coordination between different specialist areas is essential.
Industrial learning involves establishing shared responsibilities and criteria. Materials, robotics, design, and operation require a method for exchanging information, so that changes in one area don’t unexpectedly affect the others.
The interview demonstrates additive manufacturing as an evolving engineering process, continuously developing through practical applications, testing, and collaboration between companies.
Questions about 3D printing in construction.
What’s the difference between printing on-site and prefabricated construction?
On-site printing takes place at the construction site. Prefabrication involves producing elements which are then transported and assembled, altering the required equipment, control, and handling procedures.
Is printing a wall equivalent to finishing a home?
No. The interview focuses on printed materials, installations, construction assembly, and project progress. Completing the overall result requires coordinating more tasks than simply depositing materials.
What needs to be validated in a 3D printing process?
The relationship between material, geometry, machine, and programming, as well as the subsequent operations, requires appropriate testing and criteria suited to its specific function.
Four key takeaways from the chapter.
- Material, machine and programming constitute a single process.
- The manufacturing environment alters the strategy.
- The components should be designed with their connections and assembly in mind.
- The evidence of printing and the user experience are distinct stages.
From learning to product development.
At i-mas, we focus on product development, process and component automation, and prototyping. If you’re transitioning a manufacturing technology into an industrial application We can help you define what to check and how to integrate it..
You can also read. 3D printing of concrete components using Aridditive..
Source: Original interview from Toque de Ingenio, published on YouTube on July 1, 2024. The experiences, figures, and plans discussed in the interview are reflective of that specific time. The references to i-mas services are the editorial analysis of the article.
