CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME The U . S . starts and completes around one million homes each year .
As of January 2022 , ICON Construction has delivered more than two dozen 3D-printed homes and structures across the United States and Mexico . Michael Gauthier , chief of staff at ICON , says hundreds more are on the way , including an entire development in Austin , Texas . SQ4D is planning on more builds and is eyeing multistory buildings — for which it will need a new version of its printer — and commercial construction .
While these two construction companies are by no means the only adopters of additive manufacturing — there are estimated to be about a dozen around the world — the scale is apparent : The number of 3D-printed homes being planned and built in the United States is still only a small fraction of all homes .
However , moving toward the use of 3D printing might be a natural progression in the construction industry . “ Improving efficiency is always a primary goal for any company . How do we do what we do better , faster and more profitably ? Can 3D printing help us to build a better home in less time ? Can it overcome some of the delays that occur in the building process ?” asks Rob Krohn , vice president of marketing at Epcon Communities , a home-building franchise company .
The technology is still an emerging concept in construction , an industry that has traditionally been slow to change . “ It ’ s one of the last of the major
A kitchen at 3Strands boasts curved walls and wood cabinets .
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