3D Printing

Chorogenesis To Disrupt The Construction Industry With Its ”6D” 3D Printers

A new mysterious construction grade digital fabrication start-up company has openly declared its intention to “disrupt” the construction industry and claims to have developed a new approach to 3D printing that can achieve far more sophisticated results than current construction scale 3D printing systems.

According to its website Chorogenesis is moving out of ‘stealth’ mode after originating in 2010, and intends to showcase its “BIM-enabled, integrated design and fabrication technology in a $5m project called Nautilus Genesis Resort.”

chorogenesis 3d printing construction

The first spiral shell-shaped structure will be part of a group of “demonstrator” 3D printed buildings. They claim fabrication will start in March 2015 and say that the first will be located in Greece, Dubai or a third, undisclosed location. Operation will supposedly begin in 2016. Conversely D-Shape Enterprises, led by Adam Kushner and James Wolff have already won the first 3D printing for construction permit in the United States. D-Shape is also planning to start printing a mansion in Gardiner, NY early next year, so we will likely see details of their project first.

Interestingly, Chlorogenesis is planning to announce details of a design competition for a further five projects based on its “6D” technology.  What they don’t do, is describe its technology beyond “6D”.

Chief innovation architect Vassilios Vassiliadis claims that Chorogenesis has developed a digital fabrication process that allows “different materials to be extruded into the same section of wall, creating composite elements with a variety of properties.”

According to the website they’ve also built an underlying BIM platform that includes structural analysis, MEP design, energy modeling and compliance with construction codes.

chorogenesis 3d printing constructionAlthough based around an extruding “printer” head and a robotic arm attached to a gantry, Vassiliadis believes that the technology is several paces ahead of related systems pioneered by Behrokh Koshnevis in California and Enrico Dini in Italy, though it will be interesting to see if that is just wistful speculation, given the guarded nature of the holders of said technology.

He said: “The head will extrude multiple different materials, for instance with different consistencies, or energy-storing properties. All the elements such as pipes for plumbing, electrical cables and ducts can be embedded in the structure.

“For this we have developed special software which designs then makes the whole structure. It reduces the cost – you have less labor and you don’t have mistakes.”

The company describes how the demonstrator building will have embedded passive heating and cooling systems, and a low carbon footprint. It will combine standard building materials and “new materials such as geopolymers and bioplastics.”

Most of the architectural elements are due to be printed on site, while “elements that are not designed to be embedded, in the structure are digitally fabricated off site by the company and precisely placed in position.”

chorogenesis 3d printing construction

When asked to describe the underlying technology, Vassiliadis said that he wanted to protect the company’s intellectual property, but that it had been working with a group of industrial partners to develop its “6D” digital fabrication technology. These include a BIM software platform developed by “a Danish specialist”, and a print head developed by “a company that is experienced in producing manufacturing equipment for the concrete industry.” He explained: “They are in that field, so they know the material, its behaviors and the mechanical constraints.”

A third partner is an undisclosed company that “works in robotics and automation”.

Mysterious.

chorogenesis 3d printing constructionVassiliadis has a background in “providing solutions in various fields, including automated greenhouses for the agriculture industry and medical equipment.

He said that his involvement in the project came about as “I was interested in the field and had collaborated with the partners in other projects. We’d also been involved in 3D printing and manufacturing for over a decade – we also have a project to print boats.”

On Chorogenesis’s stated plans to “disrupt” the construction industry, he said: “There is only one way – cameras have changed, photocopiers have changed. The goal is to position ourselves in this new market and new landscape.” After proving the system, Vassiliadis says that the company would then seek to sell its services to established construction businesses.

He said that Chorogenesis is going through the final stages of a fund-raising round, with the location of the first demonstrator to be decided once funding details are finalized. Starting in January, the company will be headquartered in London.

Whenever a company comes out with vague types of press releases with huge claims that don’t really quite start happening until much later and they are looking for funding, the mysteries generally reveal themselves as hypberbole, but not always.  For now, they have the benefit of the doubt….