The first building in the world to use sand molds manufactured with 3D printing for casting concrete
DFAB House project is a large-scale architectural initiative aimed at revolutionizing construction processes through digital manufacturing technologies. Initiated four years ago as a collaborative research effort led by ETH Zurich in Switzerland, the project explores how digital manufacturing can transform building design and construction methods. Recently, the research team successfully manufactured a sand mold using 3D printing technology, which was used to cast the concrete floor of the first level. This achievement resulted in a concrete floor that is 50% lighter than traditional concrete floors, achieved by blending the structural strength of concrete with the design flexibility enabled by 3D printing.
In the process of sand printing, adhesive materials are sprayed onto a very thin layer of sand to solidify the desired part. This layering process continues, adding new layers of sand until the final shape is formed. It’s worth noting that sand printing is widely used in manufacturing sand molds for metal casting and represents a promising new application of 3D printing technology.
