The Montana Department of Labor and Industry earlier this month approved a 3D printing technology that one Billings contractor is hoping to use for a future housing development.
Tim Stark has been looking into 3D printing options for several years. The method can be more affordable and less time consuming than conventional construction.
“There really hasn't been a disrupter in the construction or the building world," he said. "In the building trades, there hasn't been other than, you know, the nail gun, there hasn't been one to really flip it upside down."
For a future development in Billings, Stark plans to use a 3D printing robot developed by Florida-based Apis-Cor. The robot prints by squeezing out a cement-sand mixture in layers to create walls.
“If we talk about this standard single family house, one story, 2300 square feet, the walls can be 3D printed within 65 hours if it's nonstop," said Apis-Cor CEO Anna Cheniuntai. "But let's say the printer works eight hours per day. So that's going to be kinda like one work week.”
Stark said he sees this technology becoming an important part of the solution to Montana’s affordable housing crisis.
