Imagine printing a house like a giant plastic toy, but using a special concrete that doesn't rust and uses far less cement. Instead of heavy steel bars, it uses tiny aluminum fibers to stay strong and durable. A smart computer program acts like a digital twin, predicting exactly how the material will behave before the printer even starts.
The construction industry is a major polluter and suffers from low productivity due to fragmented processes. Traditional concrete is carbon-intensive and steel reinforcement is prone to corrosion.
A low-carbon concrete mix reinforced with aluminum fibers and a digital twin toolkit for 3D printing optimization.
If you are a modular home manufacturer dealing with high material waste and slow production — this project developed a digital design and 3D printing toolkit that allows for fast deployment of customized prefabricated designs with high quality.
If you are a coastal engineering firm dealing with saltwater corrosion of steel-reinforced concrete — this project developed a mix using aluminum fibers that are resistant to seawater and do not rust.
If you are a design studio dealing with strict carbon emission targets — this project developed a real-time Life Cycle Assessment tool that guides design decisions to lower the Global Warming Potential.
Based on available project data, the project reduces costs by using lower cement content and optimizing designs to minimize the total amount of material needed through freeform 3D printing.
The project aims to increase the uptake of additive manufacturing by creating a demonstrator for concrete construction elements, though specific industrial scale capacities are not yet detailed.
Based on available project data, the project is currently in the development phase (2024-2027); specific licensing terms for the digital toolkit have not been disclosed.
It integrates through a digital pipeline that connects architects, structural engineers, and manufacturing engineers, sharing data from early design to fabrication.
The project is active from 2024-10-01 to 2027-09-30, suggesting that a fully validated demonstrator will be available by late 2027.
The consortium is a lean, cross-functional group of 4 partners from 3 countries (FI, NO, PL). It balances research and commercial application with a 25% industry ratio, including 2 SMEs, which suggests a strong focus on translating laboratory results into practical, small-scale business tools.
Contact SINTEF AS in Norway for technical specifications on the aluminum fiber concrete mix.
Contact us to connect with the SCENE-B consortium for early adoption of the 3DCP digital toolkit.
