Formwork and scaffolding manufacturing firm Peri is building what it claims is the largest 3D-printed apartment building in Europe.
The building in Wallenhausen in Bavaria, German, is make up of five apartments across three floors with around 380 sq m of living space.
Peri is using the gantry printer BOD2, in a process expected to take six weeks. The printer has a print head that moves about three axes on a securely installed metallic frame. The printer can move along its frame to any position within the construction and only needs to be calibrated once: this saves time and cuts costs, Peri said.
During the printing process, the printer takes into account the pipes and connections for utilities that are to be laid at a later time. The BOD2 has been certified in such a way that it is possible to carry out work within the printing area while printing is in progress. This means that manual work, such as the installation of empty pipes and connections, can be easily integrated into the printing process.
The building is being printed with HeidelbergCement’s i.tech 3D material.
This is Peri’s second 3D printed project; its first was a two-storey house in Beckum, northern Germany.
Thomas Imbacher, MD marketing & innovation at Peri Group, said: “By printing the first apartment building in Germany, we are demonstrating that this new construction technology can also be used to print large-scale dwelling units. In terms of 3D construction printing, we are opening up additional areas of application on an entirely new level.”
