China appears to be catching up to architectural organizations racing to create 3D-printed residence thanks to a company called WinSun, which is responsible for the world's first apartment made with 3D-printing technology.
The printer used to produce the six-story apartment did so with a mixture of ground construction and glass, tailings and other industrial waste around a base of cement that dries quickly and is mixed with a special hardening agent, according to CNET. The building, which cost close to $161,000 to build, currently stands on display alongside a 1,100-square-meter villa at Suzhou Industrial Park.
The project is the latest from the Shanghai-based company, which claimed in March last year that it printed 10 hours in 24 hours.
WinSun had the walls and other components of the apartment built offsite and then shipped in and pieced together, later on adding beam columns, steel rebar and insulation, 3DPrint.com reported.
The company said the 3D printer allowed them to save 60 percent of the materials that are usually required to build homes, and that construction takes 30 percent less time. The process also requires 80 percent less labor, which makes construction more affordable and provides contractors a smaller risk for injury.
Another benefit of the technology is the use of recycled materials, which lets WinSun build structures in a cost effective and environmentally-friendly way, CNET reported.
WinSun has more 3D-printing projects in mind for the future, which include houses, bridges and skyscrapers.
