Quikrete, Oak Ridge Lab team on 3D-printed concrete R&D

Sources; Quikrete Companies, Atlanta; CP staff

Quikrete and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee, have entered a cooperative research and development agreement to design next-generation concrete for production of large-scale structures or elements through a 3D printing process. Using an Oak Ridge-developed additive manufacturing system, the two-phase, two-year collaboration will target specially-formulated mixes spawning new construction capabilities.

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Robotics specialist cites 3D-printed concrete home milestone

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Sources: SQ4D Inc., Patchogue, N.Y.; CP staff

An industrial and consumer 3D-printing equipment developer reports completion of the world’s largest permitted project of its kind to date: A three-bedroom home whose foundation, exterior walls and interior partitions were printed in 48 hours over a six-day window at a cost below $6,000. SQ4D deployed its Autonomous Robotic Construction System (ARCS) for the 1,900-sq.-ft., Calvern, N.Y. project.

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3D printed concrete technology team turns to wind energy structures

Sources: Accucode Inc., Denver; CP staff

A $250,000 infusion from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade’s Advanced Industries Accelerator Grant Program will position Boulder-based concrete construction specialist RCAM Technologies and technology integrator Accucode Inc. to develop wind energy components using 3D printing methods. 

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Manufacturer scales mortar mixer for 3D printing

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Source: Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai

Zoomlion subsidiary m-tec has announced the availability of the Duo-mix mortar mixer in North America, Europe and Asia. The adaptable machine is designed especially for mortar used in 3D construction printing. It can process all standard dry mortar products ranging from bagged or silo to bucket coat material up to a grain size of 4mm.

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3D printing, graphene partners trace rapid building template

A memorandum of understanding sets the stage for GrapheneCA, a New York-based commercial scale producer of graphene, to design an extruder and mixing system that could be embedded into the 3D-printing equipment of Apis Cor Co., San Francisco. Graphene is an advanced carbon agent emanating from nanotechnology and exhibits strong potential as an admixture for high performance concrete.

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Corps, Marines unit proves high volume, large bead 3D concrete printing

Source: Marine Corps Systems Command, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, Champaign, Ill.

Marine Corps Systems Command and 7th Engineer Support Battalion staff joined U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) colleagues earlier this month to test a 3D concrete printing operation with a late model volumetric mixer feeding a 3-in. nozzle. The demonstration was aimed fabricating a bunker and followed barrack and bridge structure printing with a 2-in. nozzle-equipped assembly. 

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Partnership ponders 3D-printed, graphene-dosed mixes

Sources: GrapheneCA, New York; CP staff

A memorandum of understanding sets the stage for GrapheneCA, a commercial scale producer of its namesake compound, to design an extruder and mixing system embedded into the 3D printing equipment of Apis Cor Co., San Francisco. Graphene is an advanced carbon agent emanating from nanotechnology and exhibits strong potential as a high-performance concrete admixture. 

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Sika, celebrity architect BIG team on 3D printing demonstration

Sources: Sika AG, Baar, Switzerland; CP staff

The parent of Sika Corp. is partnering with one of the world’s top architects, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), to showcase 3D concrete printing capabilities at the “Formgiving” Exhibition in Copenhagen, Denmark. Running through January 2020 in the architect’s home base, the exhibition focuses on the future of construction and how it shapes the planet. 

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ACI Foundation’s Strategic Development Council brings the future faster

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In the mid-1990s, leaders urged the concrete industry to fundamentally improve itself to meet the challenges of the upcoming millennium. In response to their call, several industry groups developed and implemented strategic plans and initiatives that dramatically changed the entire concrete industry, such as the Ready Mixed Concrete 2000 and Precast Concrete Institute 2010 movements. Supporting these industry-wide initiatives from the start was the work performed by the American Concrete Institute Foundation’s Strategic Development Council (SDC). SDC members resolve issues that often hinder new technology acceptance within the concrete industry. Through SDC’s leadership, the lead time for acceptance of a new idea from its initial proposition to either code acceptance or standard practice can be reduced.

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NASA 3D-Printed Challenge ignites World of Concrete Start-Up Zone

Sources: American Concrete Institute Foundation, Farmington Hills, Mich.; CP staff

The ACI Foundation’s Strategic Development Council (SDC) is the lead sponsor of the Concrete Start-Up Zone, debuting at World of Concrete 2019, January 22-25. Based at Las Vegas Convention Center Booth N153, within the show’s Producer Center, the exhibit will feature emerging technologies and innovations, led by National Aeronautics and Space Administration 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge concepts. Participating teams will discuss the status of their research on 3D printing methods for concrete structures. Additional information on the Start-Up Zone or SDC activities can be obtained from ACI Foundation Assistant Director Tricia Ladely, [email protected]. — www.worldofconcrete.com

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