this post was submitted on 30 Nov 2023
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3DPrinting

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3DPrinting is a place where makers of all skill levels and walks of life can learn about and discuss 3D printing and development of 3D printed parts and devices.

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[–] [email protected] 30 points 11 months ago (40 children)

Is 3D printing houses a gimmick? Why not good old modular houses made in factories and shipped?

[–] cm0002 28 points 11 months ago (6 children)

Not necessarily, the tech is still new and has its issues that need to be worked out.

Ultimately though, modular houses are nice, but they're all similar to each other because they're made in a factory and have a size limit.

3D printed houses have the advantage of being able to be any shape or layout (Within reason) that the builders/homeowners want while still having the potential to be significantly cheaper and faster than standard construction.

Basically, it's a good middle ground between standard construction and factory modular homes

[–] [email protected] 15 points 11 months ago (3 children)

having the potential to be significantly cheaper and faster than standard construction

I don't see how this can ever be true. The only material that can come out of the printer is the concrete for the walls. The walls then have to be reinforced (because concrete is only good under compression), insulated, finished, and then have windows, doors, wiring and plumbing installed... all of which is still just manual labor. The walls aren't even the expensive part of homebuilding.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

It depends on what you're building. If you want a normal rectangular house, 3D printing will be incredibly inefficient and pointless compared to traditional framing techniques.

On the other hand, if you want curved walls, traditional framing becomes incredibly complex and expensive, whereas 3D printing takes exactly the same materials and labour regardless.

I think 3D printing an entire house is just a gimmick, but it will still be an incredibly useful tool, even if only used for simple things like making rounded foundation pads or retaining walls that follow the landscape or curved hallways connecting modular buildings.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

How many people actually want curved walls though?

You need curved couches, shelves, cabinets, windows and picture frames then too.

Geodesic domes housing is even faster to build, but it turns out not very many people like living in circular (or spherical) houses.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

How many people actually want curved walls though?

People who hire fancy architects. Not people who have to work for a living.

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