SQ4D, an offshoot of the New York-based S-Squared 3D Printers (SQ3D), has completed construction of a new building, in what it claims is the “largest permitted 3D printed home in the world.”
Although many are seeking to claim various titles, the size of the structure is certainly grand, spanning 1900 square feet. Even more impressive is that construction of the 3D printed home reportedly took place over an eight-day period, with a total of 48 hours in print time. It was entirely printed and built onsite, while using less than $6000 in materials. The large 3D printed home was built using SQ4D’s patent-pending Autonomous Robotic Construction System (ARCS) technology, designed for construction 3D printing applications.
Autonomous Robotic Construction System
SQ3D, based out of Long Island, NY, is a 3D printer manufacturing and service company. In 2019, the company branched out to SQ4D, a firm focused on revolutionizing the housing and construction industries using 3D printing, specifically its ARCS technology.
SQ4D’s ARCS technology was initially unveiled in 2018. Capable of constructing homes, roads, bridges, and commercial buildings, the specialized ARCS 3D printer has been described as being able to outperform traditional construction methods by reducing both time and cost up to 70%.
SQ4D explains that the system is able to reduce the labor required to construct a home for as little as 3 people, accounting for up to 41% of the total construction of a house. It eliminates over 20 manual labor-intensive processes like siding, framing, sheathing, etc., helping to achieve faster build times. These 3D printed structures are said to be mold and fire-resistant and built to withstand severe weather.
Previously the ARCS system had been used by SQ3D to build a 500-square-foot home with less than 12 hours of print time. Now that construction of the larger 1900-square-foot home is complete, SQ4D has explained that it expects the print-time of houses to be halved in the future thanks to additional enhancements implemented within ARCS technology.
The possibilities of 3D printed homes
The field of 3D printed homes is heating up in both size and scope. Recently, a 3D printed two-story building, standing at 9.5 meters tall with a total area of 640 square meters (around 6888 square feet), was unveiled in Dubai. Developed by 3D printing construction firm Apis Cor, in collaboration with the University of Nantes, it was built in Warsan, and has undergone a year of testing, meeting all the required building standards. It holds the Guinness World Record for the largest on-site 3D printed construction. Significantly, the 3D printed home is the latest in a series of developments for 3D printing construction in Dubai, in a bid to realize the city’s vision for 2025 where at least 25% of every new building in the city will be 3D printed.
Texas-based construction technologies company ICON, along with non-profit organization New Story, has been hard at work in Tabasco, Mexico as it seeks to construct a community of 3D printed homes for low-income families in the area. Thus far, two 500-square-foot liveable homes have been built, with plans for 50 homes in total to be 3D printed.
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Featured image shows SQ4D’s 3D Printed Home. Photo via SQ4D.
