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Borneo gets first 3D printed house

Image courtesy of SCIB
A 1000-sq-ft house has been 3D printed over 46 hours in Malaysia on Borneo island.

The first 3D printed house on the island was printed with a BOD2 construction printer made by Denmark’s COBOD International. Local precast specialist Sarawak Consolidated Industries Berhad (SCIB) carried out the work.

The demo house is located on a site of the Malaysian Construction Industry Development Board and has a total printed area of 9km extruded in 145 layers, each 2cm thick.

Image courtesy of SCIB

Its exterior will be plastered to make it easier to clean in the humid weather conditions.

SCIB erected a big roof over the print site to protect it against rain.

Simon Klint Bergh, COBOD’s head of office in Kuala Lumpur, said: “When we created COBOD, we never envisaged, that we would have a market in a place like Borneo. The fact that our technology is now applied there shows that the market for our technology is endless. When we can sell our printers in Borneo, we can sell them anywhere.”

The outside wall of the house with and without plastering (SCIB)

Rosland Othman, SCIB’s chief executive, said: “The use of technology such as 3D printing comes at a time when businesses are being scrutinised for the impact of their operations on the environment and society. Businesses have an important role in society and an important part is to operate responsibly.

“We believe 3D construction printing can be part of this and therefore we are also involved in a program with our university partner to develop and improve the skills and knowledge of the construction industry.”

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