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The University of Maine has developed the world’s largest 3D printer, capable not only of printing huge single parts from thermoplastic polymers, but also individual houses. At its own scale, it could therefore play a role in the construction of new housing that is both economical and sustainable.
The University of Maine has unveiled its brand new 3D printer, named FoF 1.0 for “Factory of the Future 1.0”. The world’s largest such device, this machine is four times larger than the previous titleholder, and is capable of printing objects measuring almost 30 m long by 10 m wide and around 5 meters high. Such a scale offers impressive – and unprecedented – manufacturing capabilities.
This university is a pioneer in the field of 3D printers, but it is undoubtedly taking things to a new level with this machine. This is a thermoplastic polymer printer designed to print up to the equivalent of 220kg per hour.
Among all the things it can do, the device can already build a single-family home in just 80 hours, or less than four days. In Maine alone, a state known for its immense forests, this technology could help create sustainable, affordable bio-sourced housing, made from wood remnants from the region’s sawmills.
“Maine needs an estimated 80,000 additional homes by 2030, many specifically for households with incomes at or below the area median income,” said MaineHousing’s Development Director Mark Wiesendanger, quoted in a news release.
This printer offers “new opportunities for eco-friendly and cost-effective manufacturing for numerous industries, including national security, affordable housing, bridge construction, ocean and wind energy technologies and maritime vessel fabrication”, the University of Maine explains.
It could also soon be used to build large, complex parts for the aerospace and automotive industries. One current project, for example, involves the construction of boats for military use, in direct collaboration with the US Marine Corps. – AFP Relaxnews
