World's largest 3D-printed neighborhood nears completion in Texas | Hacker News Reader

World's largest 3D-printed neighborhood nears completion in Texas

reuters.com

10 pointsjnord10 comments

The biggest advantage of 3D printing is that every item can be customised. It would be possible to make really cool designs without inncurring higher prices for customisation. I wonder if they've done that here or just Carbon copied the same design like traditional construction.

What is an example of an "item" you can customize? How is this more customizable than current methods?

Well every house I mean. Every house can be completely custom. I said "item" because the same goes for every type of 3D printing.

This is the big advantage of 3D printing over a standard manufacturing line. If you're going to print out 1000 or more of the same things, there is really no point in 3D printing. Regular methods are more efficient (e.g. prefab when it comes to construction, injection molding when it comes to plastics). The benefit of a 3D printer is that it can make different things each time, not the same thing every single time.

If I were to get a house 3D printed I'd design it really organic, Gaudi-style.

Do they add insulation to the walls? Or there is no need as the concrete is sufficient.

I assume the row house design is due to the gantry that the 3D printer sits on.

There’s gaps inbetween the walls and they add insulation as far as I know. Concrete by itself isn’t very insulative even with an air gap.

I toured their factory one time and saw some demo print structures. The walls were double layered, spaced out 8-12? Inches. The bead would flip from inner to outer to give lateral support. Inside the walls were insulation. Plumping in Texas is embedded in the foundation but I believe electrical wiring was in the walls as well.

The printing gantry only could move in one axis so building width is limited.

If electrical and plumbing needs rework can the walls be safely cut without to much structural damage? How would repairing the cuts work?

If one needed to re-run electrical wires, I assume you could drill holes and pull new cabling through the walls into the attic space.

If you had to re-run water or sewer, you have to jack hammer the foundation. But that is the same a wood frame homes.

Thanks. I read that PERI printed a house in Houston with an extremely large U shape gantry. The house is waiting to be finished though.

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/houston-3d-...

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