I couldn’t believe my eyes when I stumbled upon a peculiar scene in a video from SpaceX’s Starbase operations in south Texas. It appeared that a massive 3D printed concrete structure was being constructed, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with SpaceX’s groundbreaking work. The video segment starts at the 10:43 mark, and it’s worth taking a look to see for yourself.
As I examined the image of the construction site, my eyes were drawn to the circular shape of the structure, clearly created using a construction 3D printer. The sinuous walls reminded me of the distinctive style achieved through layered concrete extrusion. It seemed that the printing process had already been completed, as the construction crew was busily working on the roof of the single-story building. Strangely, I couldn’t spot the construction 3D printer nearby, indicating that it had probably been moved on to other projects.
I must point out that construction 3D printers don’t construct entire buildings. They simply handle the concrete portions, while other traditional methods take care of the remaining aspects, such as HVAC, plumbing, electrical work, flooring, windows, surface finishes, and roofing. This is precisely what we can infer from the image of the site.
Since the printer had already been removed, it was challenging to determine which company’s equipment was used for this project. However, my hunch was that it could be the work of ICON. There were two reasons supporting my guess. Firstly, the single-story design aligned with ICON’s usual style, and the curvatures and shape of the structure resembled other ICON projects I had seen before. Secondly, ICON is based in Texas, which happened to be the location of this project. This proximity gave ICON a higher likelihood of involvement, considering that COBOD, another major player in the construction 3D printing industry, is based in Denmark and has relatively fewer partners in the United States.
There was one aspect of this project that struck me as truly intriguing. Despite the magnitude of the structure, we hadn’t come across any announcements or press releases from companies boasting about their incredible 3D printed building achievements. In the past few years, it has become standard practice for firms to promote their groundbreaking 3D printed building projects, whether it’s the first two-story print, the largest building ever printed, or the first hog barn constructed with this technology. However, this structure stood out as a notable exception. It is quite possible that the sponsors of this project preferred to keep a low profile, perhaps not seeking the typical publicity associated with such endeavors.
This led me to ponder the future of construction 3D printing. Could it be that it has already become so commonplace that announcements are no longer necessary? Has construction 3D printing finally reached the mainstream? It’s an enticing thought, and perhaps, just perhaps, that day has arrived. The absence of information in this case could be a sign of progress, where construction 3D printing has become the new normal.
The possibilities are exciting, and only time will reveal the true extent of construction 3D printing’s impact. But for now, let’s marvel at this mysterious 3D printed structure and remain curious about the future of this rapidly evolving industry.
(Note: This blog post is inspired by a real-life event and is based on the provided story and logic. The content is fictional and does not contain accurate information about the mentioned companies or their projects.)
“Why did the 3D printer go to therapy? Because it had too many layers of unresolved issues!”
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