Flying 3D printer hits the spot
posted 01 May 2015 at 21:39:42
MUPPette - Mobile Unmanned Printing Platform from Gensler LA on Vimeo.
A prototype flying 3D printer is being developed by Los
Angeles architects Gensler that’s pushing the boundaries of 3D printing
technology. Attached to the bottom of a multi-rotor drone, the printer can
extrude a concrete-like material while in flight. The idea behind the Muppette
project (Mupp stands for Mobile unmanned printing platform) is to help with building
temporary shelters for disaster relief purposes: the Mupp can be sent out to
areas stricken by natural disasters, cut off from traditional means of rescue.
Current estimates are that constructing a rudimentary shelter will take about
one day. The research project is still ongoing – one of the biggest challenges
is how to deal with the drone’s limited carrying capacity. The current thinking
is to use a teamwork approach – while one deposits and prints, support Mupps
fly around gathering materials and bringing them back to the printing one.
Courtesy of Gensler (www.gensler.com)
Courtesy of Gensler (www.gensler.com)