Three Dimensional Concrete Printing
Assembly Line
Instead of Going to Walmart for a Printer, Alquist Prints a Walmart
Three Dimensional Concrete Printing (3DCP) is a novel technique for producing large, structurally sound buildings through a robotic print head. This technique resembles traditional 3D printing, where the print head rasters across the foundation of the building, building layer upon layer, just as a 3D printer builds its structures. However, instead of a thermoplastic polymer, the print is a specialized concrete that holds its shape soon after printing.
Recently, Alquist partnered with Walmart to build the world’s first 3D-printed big-box store. The 8000-square-foot store, located in Athens, TN, is one of the largest such structures in the world, with walls over 19 feet high. Furthermore, the structure is seismically sound, meaning it is just as safe as a traditionally built cinder block building.