VOA科学技术2024--Huge 3D Printer Aims to Cut Building Time, Labor Costs

American researchers have developed a new model of what they say is the largest 3D printer in the world.

The device is designed to build full-sized homes faster and for less money than traditional methods.

A team at the University of Maine said the printer is four times larger than the last one the university built in 2019. That device was named the world's largest polymer 3D printer by the Guinness World Records organization.

Developers of the new printer said it can create objects up to 29 meters long, 10 meters wide and 5.5 meters high. The machine can use up to 227 kilograms of printing materials per hour.

It was recently introduced to the public during an event at the university in the town of Orono. The latest model received new robotic abilities, additional sensors¹ and artificial intelligence (AI) technology, said Habib Dagher. He leads the project for the University of Maine's Advanced Structures & Composite Center.

Dagher noted² his team could build even larger printers in the future after the university opens a new building this summer. "We're learning from this to design the next one," he said.

The old 3D printer was used in 2022 to build a 55-square-meter model home made from a mixture of wood fibers⁴ and a plant-based plastic material. The home, called BioHome3D, was first printed in four parts before the pieces were moved to a permanent spot at the university. A team then connected the pieces and completed the building in just a few hours.

Officials in Maine said such large 3D printers might be able to help the state meet a growing demand for housing. State housing officials have suggested Maine will need to build another 80,000 homes over the next six years to keep up with demand.

The university aims to demonstrate that homes can be built almost completely with printers that do not harm the environment. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that building-related industries produce about 37 percent of greenhouse gases. The gases come from the production and use of materials including cement, steel and aluminum⁵.

3D printed buildings can also be recycled, which is unusual in the building industry. "You can basically deconstruct it," Dagher said. "You can grind it up if you wish, the 3D printed parts, and reprint with them, do it again."

Dagher added that in addition to cutting down on building time and costs, the 3D printer was designed to make homes that look nice. "We wanted to build a house that people would say, 'Wow, I really want to live there.'"

The team said it plans next to experiment with different printing materials. The researchers would like to use more wood found locally since Maine is the most heavily forested state in the U.S.

The machine can also be used to print other objects, such as boats or government structures, the developers say. Dagher said upcoming projects with the new printer will include a large boat and small homes to serve the area's homeless population.

University of Maine Chancellor⁶ Dannel Malloy said the U.S. Army Corps⁷ of Engineers provided most of the money for the printer, which cost several million dollars.

Words in This Story

polymer - n. a chemical substance of large molecules⁸ that is made from many smaller and simpler molecules

fiber³ - n. a structure that is similar to a thread in the body

greenhouse gas - n. a gas in the Earth's atmosphere that can trap heat

cement - n. a powder substance used in building that is mixed with water and sand to make a hard substance

deconstruct - v. to break something down into parts

grind - v. to crush something into small pieces or a powder

1 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 fiber   

n.纤维，纤维质

参考例句：

• The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
• The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

4 fibers   

光纤( fiber的名词复数 )； （织物的）质地； 纤维，纤维物质

参考例句：

• Thesolution of collagen-PVA was wet spined with the sodium sulfate as coagulant and collagen-PVA composite fibers were prepared. 在此基础上，以硫酸钠为凝固剂，对胶原-PVA共混溶液进行湿法纺丝，制备了胶原-PVA复合纤维。
• Sympathetic fibers are distributed to all regions of the heart. 交感神经纤维分布于心脏的所有部分。

5 aluminum   

n.(aluminium)铝

参考例句：

• The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。
• During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段，它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。

6 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

7 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

8 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。