Industrial 3D printer manufacturer Pantheon3D has acquired 3D construction printing company COBOD’s BOD2 3D construction printer for The Ohio State University’s (OSU) Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence (CDME).
CDME has worked with Pantheon 3D to enhance Ohio’s affordable homes portfolio, among other things, by utilizing COBOD technology. Through its collaboration with CDME, Pantheon3D hopes to offer what the company describes as “cutting-edge” research to high schools, trade unions, and construction inspectors in Ohio.
‘’We are extremely excited about the opportunity to work with two amazing organizations like CDME and COBOD. The impact they both continue to have on the additive manufacturing industry worldwide is amazing,” said Ryan Kelly, the CEO of Pantheon3D.
Improving 3D Construction Printing
Kelly claims, this collaboration will assist Patheon3D in developing a model for reimagining, retraining, and recruiting the future construction workforce. He believes that this is critical to Ohio’s expanding housing portfolio as well as establishing Ohio as the nation’s innovation hub.
According to Lisa Burris, Assistant Professor, and Civil Materials Researcher at OSU, the university offers a special environment wherein a diverse range of collaborators and professionals is required to drastically improve and expedite the implementation of 3D printed concrete technology to benefit locals the most.
“Using 3D printing to construct homes is a game-changer for the construction industry. We already have strong partnerships with universities worldwide, and supplying another 3D printer to a university, especially one with the size and credentials of OSU, further cements COBOD’s position as an industry leader in the 3D construction space,” said Vincent Albanese, Partnership Manager for COBOD International.
CDME works with businesses and researchers to transform novel technology into market-ready products. As a result, these partnerships will provide graduate and undergraduate students with novel opportunities to engage with specialists outside of their own fields of study and technical specialties, as well as teach them the importance of forming diverse teams.
Global developments in construction 3D printing
Recently, the Indian Army constructed its first 3D printed dwelling unit in Ahmedabad Cantonment. It is a disaster-resistant structure that complies with Zone-3 earthquake requirements as well as green building guidelines. An army official said, “The technique utilizes a concrete 3D printer that accepts a computerized three-dimensional design and fabricates a 3D structure in a layer-by-layer manner by extruding a specialized type of concrete specifically designed for the purpose.”
Furthermore, Oman’s German Technology University GUtech accomplished 3D printing of three buildings in Duqm, 540 km from Oman’s capital. The 3D printed structures were built in Oman’s Special Economic Zone in partnership with General Contractor Teejan and using the help of a construction printer offered by COBOD. Dr. Yousuf Al Bulushi, GUtech said, “GUtech has introduced 3D concrete printing in the sultanate of Oman and shows how we could adopt the newest construction technology and employ it so we can get the most out of it. With record-fast printing in Duqm, we have proven the potential of 3D construction printing. We have huge faith in our Omani expert team, and we are aiming to achieve beyond expected.”
What does the future of 3D printing for the next ten years hold?
What engineering challenges will need to be tackled in the additive manufacturing sector in the coming decade?
To stay up to date with the latest 3D printing news, don’t forget to subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter or follow us on Twitter, or like our page on Facebook.
While you’re here, why not subscribe to our Youtube channel? Featuring discussion, debriefs, video shorts, and webinar replays.
Are you looking for a job in the additive manufacturing industry? Visit 3D Printing Jobs for a selection of roles in the industry.
Feature image shows COBOD BOD2 3D construction printer. Image via COBOD.
