Living in the Future 

"Imagination is everything . It is the preview of life's coming attractions." 

-Albert Einstein 

My interest in learning about 3D printed houses started when I first saw it on social media. At first, I thought 3D printed homes were just like traditional homes. The more I researched how they compare and how 3D printing works, I realized that it is much more. The companies that are printing these houses aren’t just doing it for popularity and wealth. They are doing it to help those who can’t afford homes and also to improve the environment. I was curious on how the idea came about and if there were already homes that were printed. I learned that 3D printing helps with the housing crisis happening in the United States. Since these companies can print houses faster and cheaper, they give them to people who can’t afford traditional homes. These homes also have many other benefits and are more environmentally friendly than traditional houses. 3D printed homes may be the life of the future as well as be a solution for NASA wanting to build on the moon. I chose this quote by Albert Einstein because his great imagination transformed our world, just like the imagination of Enrico Dini will too. It shows all of the great things that can happen just by using your imagination. Many people don’t know the reasoning behind 3D printed homes or how it even works. My goal is for people to learn about 3D printed homes and see why they are important. 

Process of 3D Printing

For hundreds of years, the construction industry has used materials such as wood, steel, and concrete to build structures. Thomas Edison once said, “There’s a way to do it better — find it.” With the massive housing shortage in the United States, nonprofits are trying to find a way to solve the issue and do it better. Instead of having to build millions of homes using traditional methods, these organizations came up with the idea of 3D-printing homes. By using the simple 3D printing process to build homes, people can find homes that are affordable and accessible. Nonprofits are partnering with construction companies to print homes and give them to those who cannot afford traditional homes. This technology is changing the future of construction and many other industries. 3D printing’s easy process is driving companies to turn to this technology for home construction, which is enabling companies to create more efficient and affordable homes, along with improving the future of the construction industry. The technology and process of 3D printing are shaping the future by generating models faster and with increased durability. 

The process of 3D printing is quite straightforward. It involves simply creating a digital design and inputting it into the printer. 3D printing is a process that uses computer-aided design, also known as CAD, to create objects layer by layer. CAD creates items from a variety of materials coming in different shapes and sizes. 3D printers act similarly to 2D ink-jet printers by using a layering method. They start on the ground and pile layers on top of each other until the object is complete (Daley). In order to 3D print an object, a digital blueprint must be sent to the printer. After the design is sent, the printer pushes melted plastic through a nozzle to create a layer or a bead. The printer waits until the bead is cooled and adds another layer until the object is complete. 3D printers reduce the cost, materials, and time needed to construct buildings and objects (Carro). 

The process of printing a building is extremely similar to that of an object; however, when 3D printing a home, the printer uses a concrete powder instead of plastic. Following the pre-programmed floor plan, the printer's nozzle squeezes out a concrete mixture one bead at a time. By the time a pass is completed, the bead is firm enough to support the next. Steel is added every 10th bead for sturdiness, while cutouts are left for plumbing, electricity, doors, and windows. The roof, windows, doors, and insulation are added in traditional ways (Stahl). Companies are starting to 3D print houses because they want to help nonprofits reduce homelessness and stop the housing crisis (McCluskey).

Nonprofits 

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization aiming to solve the housing crisis. According to an analysis by Freddie Mac, “The U.S. is short about 3.8 million housing units, both for rent and for sale. What is available is out of financial reach for most Americans.” Redfin’s study revealed only 21% of homes are affordable for a typical buyer (Stahl). Numerous other nonprofits have the same goal as Habitat for Humanity. These nonprofits partner with construction companies to build homes and give them to individuals or families who cannot afford a house (Bellamy). Icon and Bjarke Ingels Group are just one of these partnerships working to build affordable housing. Starting with a community of 3D-printed homes in Texas known as Wolf Ranch (Holland).

Alquist and Habitat for Humanity is another partnership that creates homes to confront the nation's affordable housing crisis (Bellamy). The families who receive these homes pay a monthly mortgage of less than 30% of their income (McCluskey). These companies are not just 3D printing these homes to solve the housing crisis, but also to positively impact the environment. In fact, the University of Maine created an experimental 3D-printed house entirely out of recyclable and bio-based materials. Using excess wood fiber from the forest industry. This experiment proved that corporations can use bio-based materials for 3D printing (Morawski). With the 3D printing industry expanding, companies are looking forward to what the future holds.

Future of 3D Printing

The future of 3D printing holds immense potential and promise as this process has the ability to revolutionize many industries. Jason Ballard, the CEO of Icon, says, “In the future, I think most buildings will be designed by AI; most projects will be run by software; and almost everything will be built by robots.” With this belief, people anticipate a future where housing becomes abundant and affordable (Sthal). Kirk Andersen is also convinced that 3D printing will become the go-to method for the construction industry. By educating companies and industries about the 3D printing process, more sites can begin to adopt this technology (Bellamy). A survey conducted in August 2021 showed that 33% of people believe that 3D printing is the future of homebuilding (McCluskey). 3D printing will not only change the construction industry, but also the aerospace industry. Starting with a 3D printer from Icon which is scheduled to fly to the moon to test print part of a landing pad at the end of the decade (Stahl). NASA has recently announced a series of Artemis missions with the hope of American astronauts staying on the moon. In order to do this, the moon needs to have landing pads, roads, housing, and other infrastructure. These cannot be easily transported from the earth, which is why NASA has partnered with Icon to develop lunar construction technology (Stahl). 

NASA granted Icon a 57 million-dollar contract to partner with them and create lunar construction technology. Icon is working with NASA scientists, Jennifer Edmunson and Corky Clinton, to complete this task. Edmunson and Clinton run the Moon to Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technologies program. Meanwhile, Jason Ballard and Evan Jensen strive to figure out the fundamental challenge of how to 3D print infrastructure on the moon without shipping material from Earth (Stahl). They developed the idea of building the structure with lunar materials; however, the moon's lack of water creates an additional problem of how to make the dust liquid enough to print (Monroe). In order to use the lunar regolith as the building material, Icon needed to create a robotic system for printing. They invented and built a robotic system that allowed them to use the regolith. To make everything easier to ship and build, Icon created lasers that allow them to 3D print. Instead of using a nozzle, a high-intensity laser beam melts the regolith to form it into a hard, strong building material. They are currently running experiments using the laser to create smaller samples. Using Icon’s test prints, NASA blasts the prints with a plasma torch testing the material’s ability to take the heat of a landing pad. Next,  NASA must find a way to operate the robotic arm within a thermal vacuum chamber. They use a chamber to mimic the moon's weather and conditions. Jason Ballard and NASA are striding towards a realistic future of 3D printing on the moon (Stahl). 

The future is promising as the 3D printing process advances and overcomes challenges. As it becomes more widespread, it will provide affordable housing solutions for individuals and communities. With the growing demand for accessible housing, 3D printing can play a crucial role in addressing the housing crisis and promoting environmental sustainability. The easy 3D printing process will not only improve the housing crisis but also change the future of the construction industry and the aerospace industry. This process will continue to improve, allowing nonprofit organizations to obtain affordable housing more easily and faster. 3D printing's easy process will allow companies and industries to expand and improve by creating more efficient and accessible homes. As this technology advances, societies can expect even more remarkable developments in the future. The impact of 3D printing holds tremendous promise for the future.

What 3D-Printed Homes Are 

3D-printed houses are life-size dwellings that use 3D printing as a way of construction. They require minimal human oversight and are highly customizable structures that can be built on or off-site. 3D-printed houses feature free-form, curvilinear shapes made out of a cement mix. These homes have curved gray walls with brightly lit interiors. The interior of the home is different in each building. Enrico Dini got the idea of printing full-size 3D objects when he was programming Kuka robots. Enrico was experimenting with sand and water when he created a 3D-printed sand castle. Enrico, Roberto Nannini, and Moreno Chiarugi met up and came up with the very first 3D construction patent. The Method and Device for Building Automatically Conglomerate Structures was patented in 2005. Enrico is credited with inventing the first 3D-printed building in 2005. However, William Urschel is credited with creating the first 3D-printed building made of concrete in 1939. The process of 3D printing a building is simple, which is why they are seen as a low-waste way to shelter unhoused communities and as a gateway to sustainable housing solutions. These homes can be built in a matter of hours and at a fraction of the cost. They can be made into affordable homes or even luxurious homes. 3D-printed homes can be made of natural materials, bio-based materials, and even cement-based materials. Some are even being built of clay, lavacrete, sand, mud, and mortar. These homes use a fraction of the concrete that is used for a typical foundation. The process of printing a home can be completed in 24 hours. It might take longer depending on the weather and conditions. Rain, cold temperatures, and operator errors can slow down the process. 3D printing a building only requires one or two employees to watch the printer as it moves along the track. The full process of 3D printing a structure is explained below in the video. Below, there are also pictures of current structures that have been 3D-printed. 

Sources: (Becher, Holland, Monroe, Morawski, Sher)

 Advantages of 3D-Printed Structures 

 3D-printed objects and buildings have many benefits. Printing a building has many more benefits than traditional construction. It not only saves time and money, but it also makes the structures stronger and more efficient. To find out more information on the advantages of 3D-printed structures, look at the image carousel below. 

Companies Using 3D Printers   

Many companies have started using 3D printers to build homes and other structures. Instead of using traditional methods, these companies are using this innovation to build structures faster and more efficiently. These companies hope to be the solution to the housing crisis and want to help those in need. Some companies partner with non profits to develop homes and give them away to those who cannot afford a traditional home. The companies using 3D printers want to create remarkable designs and also lower the cost of housing. Click on the following logos to find out more about each company using 3D printers to build structures. 

Works Cited

Becher, Brooke. "9 Examples of 3D-Printed Houses." Edited by Breannan Whitfield. Built in, 13 July 2023, builtin.com/3d-printing/3d-printed-house. Accessed 31 Jan. 2024.

Bellamy, Clarette. "How 3D Printing Can Be the Solution to the Nation's Affordable Housing Crisis." NBC News, 4 Jan. 2022, www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/3d-printing-can-solution-nations-affordable-housing-crisis-rcna10725. Accessed 31 Jan. 2024.

Carro, Mackenzie. "HOW 3-D PRINTING IS CHANGING THE WORLD." Scholastic Scope, vol. 72, no. 2, 1 Oct. 2023, pp. 30-31. Academic Search Premier, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=2a1602f5-a518-3e9d-8ead-158593dc0b3f.

Daley, Sam. "3D Printing: What It Is, How It Works and Examples." Built in, 18 July 2022, builtin.com/3d-printing. Accessed 6 Mar. 2024.

Holland, Oscar. "Look inside the World's Largest 3D-printed Neighborhood in Texas." CNN, 28 July 2023, www.cnn.com/style/texas-3d-printed-home-icon/index.html. Accessed 31 Jan. 2024.

Jasmine. "3D Printed Homes: All Your Questions Answered." Fluxposure, 2 Nov. 2022, www.adrianflux.co.uk/blog/2022/11/3d-printed-homes-faqs/#:~:text=This%20will%20depend%20on%20the,blocks%20%E2%80%93%20at%20least%20100%20years. Accessed 1 Feb. 2024.

McCluskey, Megan. "How the Company behind TikTok's Viral 3D-Printed Houses Wants to Help Solve the Affordable Housing Crisis." Time, 4 Apr. 2022, time.com/6162775/tiktok-3d-printed-houses/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2024.

Monroe, Rachel. "Can 3-D Printing Help Solve the Housing Crisis?" The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2023, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/01/23/can-3-d-printing-help-solve-the-housing-crisis. Accessed 1 Feb. 2024.

Morawski, Bridget Reed. "This 3D-Printed House Is the First to Be Made Entirely from Bio-Based Materials." AD, 2 Dec. 2022, www.architecturaldigest.com/story/umaine-3d-printed-from-bio-based-materials. Accessed 31 Jan. 2024.

Sher, Davide. "One-to-one with Enrico Dini, the Italian Who Invented Binder Jetting for Construction." Volex Matters, 9 June 2019. Voxel Matters, www.voxelmatters.com/one-to-one-with-enrico-dini-the-italian-who-invented-binder-jetting-for-constructions/#:~:text=The%20story%20of%20Enrico%20Dini,similarities%20with%20these%20great%20stories. Accessed 31 Jan. 2024.

Stahl, Lesley, et al. "3D Printing Could Shake up Construction Industry and Bring Tech to the Moon." CBS News, 8 Oct. 2023, www.cbsnews.com/news/3d-printing-on-earth-and-moon-60-minutes/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2024.