A House from the 3D Concrete Printer

The development of 3D printing is forging ahead in leaps and bounds, making things in many sectors of everyday life come true that were scarcely imaginable a few years ago. The Austrian MAI® International GmbH company is set on transforming visions into reality. The innovative experts from Carinthia lead the field in developing mortar mixing machines for modern 3D concrete printing technology and are in the process of revolutionizing the construction industry with their ideas.

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“We at MAI® International GmbH have preoccupied ourselves for a number of years with the comparatively young technology of 3D concrete printing. These experiences flow continuously into the development of our user-friendly appliances for 3D concrete printing and set standards in the construction branch and beyond. At stake are mortar mixing pumps specially geared to 3D printing with enormously high process safety, which are equipped with an interface for dosing chemical additives as well as external activation and are thus highly suitable for being used with an industrial robot”, is how Hannes Papousek explains the innovative company`s latest development. 3D concrete printers are about to revolutionise the construction branch. An increasing number of construction engineers and architects rely on this innovative and purposeful technology in order to realise their visions effectively.

Layer for Layer from the 3D Concrete Printer

For 3D concrete printing, first of all a computer produces a three-dimensional model of an object, a concrete wall for instance, which is then actually built up by the printer layer by layer. Owing to this layer by layer approach this processing method is also known as “additive manufacturing” (AM). The astonishing thing about it: not simply construction components or wall structures can be produced with the help of a 3D concrete printer but even entire houses. The mortar pump MAI®2PUMP Pictor-3D or the mortar mixing pump MAI®MULTIMIX-3D from the Austrian technology expert is ideally suited for this novel technology.

MAI®2PUMP Pictor-3D

The MAI®2PUMO Pictor-3D is an extremely handy and efficient mortar pump with an external connection for 3D printing. It processes grain sizes of 2 to 3 mm and provides a delivery rate of 0.5 to 5.0 l/min. In combination with a 3D concrete printer or a multi-axis industrial robot, this innovative and powerful pump, with variable delivery rate, it is possible to attain unimagined, highly satisfactory results. As a consequence, it is particularly suitable for high-resolution 3D concrete printing. Practically all ma- chine-compatible, pre-mixed pasty substances and mortars can be processed reliably.

The MAI®2PUMP Pictor-3D mortar pump is popular in the lab or with innovative start-ups for smaller 3D concrete printing projects. The outstanding pumping rate and the integrated interface for external activation are really appreciated. By means of the control panel “On/Off/Back/Stop/Delivery Rate,” it is possible to set the mortar pump`s speed as required. The system is controlled remotely via the interface that is available.

The extremely powerful and strong MAI®PUMP Pictor-3D mortar pump is protected optimally against wear and external influences. It is made of ultradurable MAI®CODUR plastic, stainless steel components and structural parts of robust and corrosion-free, hot-galvanized materials.

Among other things, the resistant MAI®CODUR material really makes it easy to clean this practical and powerful 3D concrete printing pump. After unscrewing the pump outlet, all the components can be removed, cleaned and reassembled without using a single tool.

MAI®MULTIMIX-3D

MAI®MULTIMIX-3D is a mortar mixing pump that is particularly geared to 3D concrete printing. Thanks to its innovative processing of water and dry material, it affords a previously unheard-of degree of process safety and always provides uniform material consistency. The 3D concrete printer`s delivery rate, which can be regulated via an external interface, amounts to 2.0 to 30.0 l/min.

In order to ensure that optimal results are obtained with 3D concrete printing, the pump`s extrusion and operating speeds must be exactly coordinated with each other. This is assured on the one hand, by the design of the eccentric worm-drive that is used and on the other, by the gear ratio of the built-in drives as well as the unique concept of the patented mixing impellers of the MAI®MULTIMIX-3D concrete printer. They cater for outstanding mixing results regardless of the speed.

The operating states are permanently monitored, shown on the display and documented – all done in a number of languages. The mortar mixing pump`s open delivery mixing principle facilitates permanent optical control of the mixing quality in the wet mortar range. A readjustment can be made at any time. The remixer keeps the material in the concrete mixer permanently in motion even during work breaks. As a result, it can neit- her harden nor settle. The mixing pump also possesses an interface for the MAI®DOS dosing unit, with the help of which chemical additives such as retarders or accelerators can be added to the mix in the perfect dose.

The MAI®MULTIMIX-3D mixing pump enables 3D concrete printing of whole houses and is nonetheless uncomplicated to operate. It can be fed as desired from a transport silo, with a big bag or manually with pre-bag- ged material. The mixing pump comprises stainless steel and hot-galva- nised structural parts, which are extremely robust. The application of the ultradurable MAI®CODUR plastic facilitates effortless cleaning and also contributes to the 3D concrete printing mixing pump`s sturdiness.