Watch: Robot printing process builds homes from earth without cement
13 September 2024
A robot-assisted printing process for building houses, using earth materials like clay and silt, eliminates the need for cement and significantly reduces construction time and costs.
Entire houses can be built from clay or excavated earth. The material is cheap, abundant, and sustainable as it does not require cement.
However, existing building methods are very labour-intensive, slow, and expensive.
The new process could help change that.
In what is known as ‘impact printing’, a robot shoots material from above, gradually building a wall. On impact, the parts bond together, and very minimal additives are required.
Unlike concrete 3D printing, the process does not require any pauses during which the material can solidify. A mixture of excavated materials, silt, and clay is currently used.