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Good to see that we are heading in the right direction in the application of 3D printing. Case Study #1 Singapore showcases first on-site 3D-printed childcare centre; exterior walls built in 2 days (https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/spores-first-on-site-3d-printing-of-structural-elements-cuts-down-on-needed-manpower-materials) Nestled in a Woodlands condominium stands Singapore’s first 3D-printed childcare centre, where young charges are soon expected to engage in play and study. All the exterior walls, including the curved ones, on the first floor of the two-storey building were printed on-site in Norwood Grand, a 348-unit development which is expected to be completed in July. These walls were built within two days, pumped from the nozzle of a large-scale 3D printer. The second floor was constructed the traditional way. Case Study #2 No bricklayers, only robots: Singapore’s first 3D-printed house (https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/lifestyle/arts-design/no-bricklayers-only-robots-singapores-first-3d-printed-house) Most architects don’t live inside their experiments. Lim Koon Park does. In the lush district of Bukit Timah, he’s built a home that rewrites the rules of construction – layer by printed layer. QR3D, the first 3D-printed house in the country, is not just a technical first. It’s a working, breathing home designed around light, air, and lived experience. Four levels. Seven bedrooms. A 6-metre-high concrete oculus at its heart. And no bricklayers in sight. For Lim, founder of the acclaimed architecture practice Park + Associates, QR3D is both a milestone and a meditation. “We weren’t interested in doing a technological demo,” he says, seated at his custom-made steel dining table. “It had to be liveable. It had to feel like a real home.” Case Study #3 S’pore’s first 3D-printed pedestrian bridge set to be completed in Jurong West in 2028 (https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/spores-first-3d-printed-pedestrian-bridge-set-to-be-completed-in-jurong-west-in-2028?ref=latest-headlines) Singapore will build its first 3D-printed concrete pedestrian bridge over Jurong River by 2028, connecting Jurong West and Tengah town. The 3D printing technology offers 50% manpower savings and significantly reduces production time.. Tests validate structural integrity; LTA views project as a pilot to assess feasibility for future 3D concrete printing applications.

Porsche 3D Printing Engine Piston Technology 3D printing technology is already used at Porsche in prototype construction, manufacturing spare parts for classic sports cars as well as in other areas. In cooperation with its partners Mahle and Trumpf, the sports car manufacturer is now establishing a new milestone in the use of additive manufacturing processes for highly-stressed drive components – for the first time, the pistons for the high-performance engine of the 911 flagship model, the GT2 RS, are now also being produced with a 3D printer. 3D printing allows the pistons to be manufactured with a structure that is optimised for the loads acting on the pistons. As a result, the pistons from the advance development project weigh ten percent less than the forged series production pistons. They also have an integrated and closed cooling duct in the piston crown that could not have been produced by conventional methods. “Thanks to the new, lighter pistons, we can increase the engine speed, lower the temperature load on the pistons and optimise combustion,” explains Frank Ickinger from the advance drive development department at Porsche. “This makes it possible to get up to 30 hp more power from the 690 hp twin-turbo engine, while at the same time improving efficiency.”