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[VIDEO] MIT Shows Off 3D Printer That Can Print a Structure in 14 Hours

via Youtubevia Youtube

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is constantly researching ways to improve construction process and materials, like this material 10 times the strength of steel, or this solar cell that’s lighter than a soap bubble, or this “reversible concrete.” This time the Institute is showing off its autonomous robot that can spit out building structures on site within hours.

This robotic arm concept, which you see in the video at the bottom of this article, has a lot of the same characteristics as the Russian Apis Cor robotic arm 3D printer that recently completed the structure of a concrete house in less than 24 hours. Both robots are mobile, allowing them to visit any job site, and they’re also adaptable to the specific site conditions.

The thing that sets the MIT robot apart from the Apis Cor version is that MIT’s is being designed to be completely self-sufficient, as it even has an excavator bucket attached to it in order to obtain local materials.  It also can be powered by the on-board solar panels, so no need to plug it in in certain circumstances.

Like many 3D printing companies today, this is only a proof of concept and the next step is widely expected to be disaster relief, where labor and materials are hard to come by.  The idea of providing adequate shelter in times of need in less than 24 hours is certainly an exciting concept. Stephen Keating, PhD, one of the researchers on this project, has his sights set on different planets, as well. “In the future, to have something totally autonomous, that you could send to the moon or Mars or Antarctica, and it would just go out and make these buildings for years,” Keating told MIT News.

The video below shows a foam insulation being placed as a concrete form, but the printing nozzles are able to be swapped out based upon the material being used.  Built-in sensors can allow the robot to make on-site adjustments with respect to temperature and light, as well.

Full Story: 3-D printing offers new approach to making buildings | MIT News

Tracking employees instantaneously is a dream scenario for employers.  It gives them tons of data to analyze to determine where money can be saved and where resources can be placed to be most efficient.  The struggle is convincing the employees that tracking their every move is not going to get them in trouble or fired. There’s a balance in there somewhere and that’s the challenge facing both employers and tech companies right now.

Two of the most critical concepts of construction safety are the ability to see what you’re doing and to also be seen by others around you.  Construction workers rely heavily on their employer providing lighting systems when working in low light conditions, but those systems are not always adequate. 

There’s no doubt that the construction industry is behind when it comes to technology, but things are beginning to change.  In the past few years, our industry has seen millions of dollars poured into new technology, including smartphone apps, advanced construction materials, and advanced safety equipment.  One of the struggles –and perhaps the main struggle- with introducing new technology to the field staff is that many of them have been managing their jobs the same way for a long time.  It can be difficult to convince them to change, especially if they have been successful with their current process.

One of the most challenging issues with modular construction, of any kind, is the sheer size and weight of many of the components that need to be transported and lifted in place once onsite. That presents a specifically tough situation for jobsites that are not easy to get to.  Arup, a design, engineering, and consulting team in the United Kingdom, has developed and successfully implemented what they say is the “world’s first modular glass-fiber, reinforced polymer bridge.” You may remember Arup from their testing of a “living wall” scaffolding cover that we wrote about last year.

The world’s first 3D printed excavator was not the only piece of construction equipment to hold that title at this year’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas.  LiuGong, an international construction equipment manufacturer founded in China, also unveiled the world’s first vertical lift wheel loader at the event.

In 2015, Milwaukee released their robust smart tool management platform, ONE-KEY.  The smartphone and web application allows users to not only keep data of their tools spread across different users and jobsites, but it also offers tool customization and tool tracking, for tools that are enabled with ONE-KEY. Earlier this year, the platform got a major upgrade with the release of added tool security, which allow users to hide tools, lock the trigger or footpad, or completely render the tool useless remotely if lost or stolen.

Read on to find out how you can win a free (4) pack of Milwaukee TICK ($99 Value)