Australian manufacturer Luyten has debuted what it calls the world's first 3D concrete printer to be mounted to a tower crane.
The Ascend A27 can autonomously deposit engineered concrete by following digitally uploaded designs using the reach and height of a tower crane for vertical construction, the company says. It boasts a maximum working height of 328 feet and operating radius of 148 feet.
Luyten's Ultimatecrete printing technology is designed for cranes with up to a 4-ton load capacity. The system can be erected and ready to work in one to two days, the company says.
Among the A27’s ideal applications are apartment developments, commercial buildings, industrial facilities, public infrastructure and high-density urban projects.
The 3D printer aims to address global growth in housing demand, urbanization and infrastructure investment, according to Luyten, by improving jobsite productivity, reducing waste and speeding up project delivery. The A27 is also designed to address Luyten’s forecast of construction mimicking advanced manufacturing with more robotics and digital workflows.
"We believe the next chapter of construction will be defined by intelligent infrastructure,” said Ahmed Mahil, founder, CEO and global president of Luyten. “Physical assets that once moved materials will become digitally enabled manufacturing systems. Every tower crane becomes a potential construction robot.”
Powered byLuyten’s 3D printing tech lineup includes robotic construction systems, advanced printable materials and a digital construction software platform for automated construction. The company’s applicable markets include residential, commercial, industrial and infrastructure projects.
Contractors can reserve an A27 on Luyten’s website for $849,000, which includes operating training, a pumping system, technical support for the first year and a three-year warranty.
