Which materials can be used for printing?

At Zero Kilometer

This process requires specific work to analyze the soil in each area and to fine-tune a printable material. The material retrieved from the local soil must be balanced with other elements to create a robust and useful construction material.

In this regard, it is crucial to conduct research focused on the material before printing any structure that requires mechanical performance.

This approach requires significant research, and during the use of the Crane WASP, some important theoretical foundations are laid out that need to be considered when researching materials.

It is also possible to work with natural materials, similar to earth, but pre-mixed and available in bags. This approach doesn’t require extensive research.

However, this research does not replace certified materials.

Lime-based materials: Lime was the building material used by the ancient Romans, similar to today’s cements. It works well on the machine, and due to its nature, it has an interesting environmental impact, as it requires less energy to produce. There are pre-mixed formulations for 3D printing.

Cement-based materials: This is the current standard for construction. It makes the material mechanically strong and readily available everywhere, but it has a high environmental impact due to energy consumption during production. There are specific pre-mixed formulations for 3D printing.

The Crane WASP technology (like other 3D printing technologies for construction) can manage the printing of cement-based mortars.

Mortars (with an aggregate size up to 5 mm, Heidelberg 4 mm) can be printed, but not concrete (with an aggregate size up to 2 cm), due to how the 3D printer handles the material.

The printing result from a structural point of view requires a different approach compared to traditional reinforced concrete.

There are kits available to optimize the machine’s performance, which allow for specific configurations of the system to work with these materials.

For the best printing results, it is recommended to use cements developed for 3D printing, which are sold by WASP.