With the world's first configurator for 3D construction printers made by COBOD International, contractors and developers can now estimate the time to 3D print a specific building and calculate the amount of concrete materials needed. For instance, the configurator shows layer by layer how the printer can build a 170 m² (1,900 square feet) villa in just 26 hours.
The configurator is available as an app for Android and iOS devices and as a web app edition.
Headquartered in Denmark, COBOD has become a provider of 3D printers to the global construction industry and is behind the printers that made the first one, two and three floors 3D printed buildings in Europe, the first school and houses in Africa and the first 3D printed wind turbine tower pedestals made for GE Renewable Energy.
“With this tool, you can configure the size of our modular printers up to three-story building printers, simulate the print time and material consumption for our use case buildings. Using the configurator, you can see what the printer exactly looks like and what it can do for you,” said Henrik Lund-Nielsen, Founder & General Manager of COBOD International.
Users of COBODs new configurator can start by configuring their 3D printer, modifying the printer width, length, and height. The configurator also makes it possible to calculate the time it takes to print out a specific structure and calculate the quantity of materials needed.
According to the consulting company McKinsey, there is a potential for doubling productivity in the construction industry by realizing the automation potential. A potential that has made the global construction industry keenly aware of how robotic 3D printers will become standard equipment at the construction sites of tomorrow.
This trend is reflected in orders for COBOD's 3D construction printers; In 2021 revenue skyrocketed, tripling the revenue generated in 2020, already twice that of 2019.
"3D-printed buildings have now become a more advantageous option than conventional building methods. This is because a 3D printer saves many resources compared to conventional methods: It goes faster, requires fewer construction workers that are so hard to find these days and makes the working environment healthier. With our new Dfab solution for making 3D printable real concrete, locally sourced materials can be used to minimize the cost, transport, and delivery time as well,” said the COBOD founder Henrik Lund-Nielsen.
