3D printing appears to have reached its zenith, with the news that China has plans to construct a new dam — and do it entirely using 3D printing.
The pioneering project seeks to 3D print an entire 590-foot-tall dam and construct it without using humans. It's a nod to just how much more advanced 3D printing has become since its early days, and if successful, points to quite the future for construction and engineering.
Gone are the days when 3D printers were mostly used to create random trinkets. The medium has the potential to create objects on a much larger scale, include massive construction projects.
The paper was published last month in the Journal of Tsingshua University. In it, researchers made their case for a fully automated dam built out of 3D printed materials. Once constructed, it could provide five billion kilowatt hours of emissions-free electricity every year.
The 3D printing plan isn't the only noteworthy aspect. When researchers say 'fully automated', they mean it: construction of the dam will be done entirely using unmanned robots. Various construction equipment, all robotic, will create the dam at the site.
China is a global leader in the field of dam construction (just look at the massive Three Gorges Dam, seen here). The 3D printed dam won't be as large, but it's still plenty big at 590 feet tall.
The exact spot will be on the Tibetan Plateau along the Yellow River, and the project will be known as the Yangqu hydropower plant. Once complete, it's expected to offer five billion kilowatt-hours of power annually.
It'll smash the old record for 3D-printed structures. Currently, the largest 3D-printed buildings in the world are only about 20 feet tall, while the Yangqu project will be nearly 600 feet tall.
With the rise of 3D-printed structures — just look at these army barracks in Texas — we're likely looking at a building revolution that leans more on automation and inexpensive, 3D-printed materials.
On one hand, it's yet another Chinese dam project. On the other hand, it'll be a pioneering achievement once it's built. Would you trust a massive construction project built by robots? Personally, I'm not sure. Make sure to share your thoughts in the comments!
