3D concrete printing

Skanska and Loughborough University have signed a collaboration agreement to allow Skanska to use – under licence – 3D concrete printing technology developed through research at Loughborough University, applying it to real applications.

A team in the School of Civil and Building Engineering at Loughborough, led by Dr Richard Buswell and Professor Simon Austin, have worked on the development of 3D printing technology for the construction industry since 2007. The project was started under the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s (EPSRC) Innovative Manufacturing and Construction Research Centre (IMCRC). The team have developed 3D concrete printers fitted to a gantry and a robotic arm, which is now in its second-generation form.

The printer deposits a high–performance concrete precisely under computer control. It works by laying down successive layers of concrete until the entire object is created. The printer can make things which cannot be manufactured by conventional processes such as complex structural components, curved cladding panels and architectural features. The aim of the initial 18-month development programme is to develop the world’s first commercial concrete printing robot. Working with Skanska are a number of influential collaborators including Foster and Partners, Buchan Concrete, ABB and Lafarge Tarmac. As a result of this programme, Skanska aims to explore opportunities opened up by the new technology and help develop a 3D printing supply chain.

3D concrete printing
A project by: Skanska and Loughborough University