The U.S. Department of Energy has made a significant breakthrough by unveiling a new 3D-printed wood floor cassette that can replace concrete and steel floors. Researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Maine say the natural-material floor cassette is strong enough to replace steel and concrete floors in multi-storey buildings. Furthermore, they noted that the sturdiness of the “SM2ART Nfloor mixture” comes from its mix of biodegradable thermoplastic. The mixture is derived from corn residue and wood flour made from lumber-processing waste. “The PLA and wood flour blend is an excellent material for producing recyclable, large-format additively manufactured parts,” said Scott Tomlinson. He is a structural engineer with the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC). “This single-piece floor assembly is stiffer and provides an improved walking experience compared to the steel-concrete assembly it replaces,” he added.
The 3D-Printed Wood Floor Cassette as a Construction Marvel
The unveiling of the new 3D-printed wood floor cassette is set to be a game changer and a construction marvel. ORNL researcher Katie Copenhaver said: “By utilizing large-scale 3D printing, we replaced an assembly made from 31 parts and three materials with a single-material floor panel that is ecologically friendly and with the same strength as traditional steel floor fabrication.” Earlier this year, the ASCC unveiled a thermoplastic polymer printer that broke world size records. The “Factory of the Future 1.0” can print objects up to 96 ft long, 32 ft wide, and 18 ft high. The ASCC said it can be used for affordable housing, bridges, and wind farms. The machine is a construction marvel as it cuts down the time used in construction immensely. Houses and multi–storey buildings can be completed in record time while saving cost and labor.
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The Significance of the New Invention to the Construction Industry
The 3D-printed wood floor cassette promises to remodify the construction industry as we know it immensely. First, it is labor-saving, where the printer laid down layers for the geometrically shaped cassette in about 30 hours. The researchers said this represented a labor-saving of about 33% compared to building a traditional floor. It was programmed to leave openings for electrical, plumbing, and ventilation services. Researchers said a big part of traditional floor construction’s cost comes from workers retrospectively cutting such openings. “3D printing can save time and money by printing the floor cassette with cutouts designed into the finished product,” said Copenhaver. “The only human labor involves installing acoustic skin for soundproofing and the resident’s desired floor covering.” The cassette is fully recyclable, according to the researchers.
And the Credit Goes to…
The idea for the 3D-printed wood floor cassette came from New York City-based SHoP Architects. “They asked if we could mass-produce floor panels more efficiently with greener materials and additive manufacturing,” said Copenhaver. “Figuring out something new, considering different variables, is a hallmark of ORNL. Through experimentation, we worked out the right speeds and made the tweaks needed to reliably produce a finished part with the desired finished look and quality.” The Nfloor project is a prototype. Research moves now to flame retardants, insulation, and better production techniques. UMaine’s Scott Tomlinson said the technology “holds a lot of promise for the future of sustainable buildings.”
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