Have you heard about the new innovative technology, the 3-D printer? Well, the 3-D printer is a printer which has been recently developed and is presumed as the “ultimate builder” for practically anything. From medical equipment to bones and body parts, the 3-D printer is capable making of countless things.
Until recently, the 3-D printer was only able to print small objects. The 3-D printer has now been designed for larger scaled objects, such as printing houses and other infrastructures. A Chinese company calleded Winsun has claimed to have built 10 houses in 24 hours (see video below). While in other places, such as Amsterdam, there is a company, DUS Architect, that is replacing cement and mortar with bio-based renewable resources to build houses using 3-D printers. (A link to the DUS Architect Video story)
Video credit: New China TV
The new technology will be much safer than the conventional method of building and will be cheaper. Alternative materials can be used instead of cement and other common building materials, which are be environmentally threatening. This idea of a machine replacing thousands of construction workers may not sound appealing, but there are some places in the world where there are not enough workers. For example, in developing countries, the working conditions are harsh and workers may not have the correct tools to build a safe house. If a house can be built in 24 hours, people will have a much sturdier and safer house with minimal labor and can be much more affordable.
3-D printers may just be the starting point of a completely different lifestyle for the future. With the countless number of uses it has, 3-D printers can replace many machines and potentially reduce harmful actions such as pollution.
-Tommy Kim