COBOD is ready to ship the world’s largest 3D construction printer to Elite for Construction & Development Co., Saudi Arabia, after successfully completing the dry and full testing of the printer. This BOD2 configuration is the largest COBOD has done to date, with a huge print area of 300 square meters per storey, and with a capability of printing 3 storey tall buildings.
Following the latest BOD2 delivery to the Technical University of Denmark, early July, COBOD is now ready to ship the next to Saudi Arabia. The printer was ordered back in the spring as part of the 2030 vision of Saudi Arabia. The next 10 years Saudi Arabia is going to build 1.5 million private houses and this 3D construction printer is a piece of the puzzle to reach this ambitious goal.
Henrik Lund-Nielsen, CEO of COBOD, explained: “We are excited to have completed the manufacturing and testing of this enormous 3D construction printer. The Saudis wishes for such a size of the printer once again proved our choice of creating the BOD2 printer via a modular system. No other company would be able to deliver a printer with the same capabilities, and we are very proud to provide our Saudi partners with a printer capable of constructing buildings of a size not seen before in the market.
After the small private house in Riyadh was 3D printed last year, multiple public and private organizations have shown interest in the 3D construction printing technology in Saudi Arabia. Now that the technology will be available locally, local customers are able to have this technology provided and push ahead for Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision.
Jakob Jørgensen, Head of Technology at COBOD, said: “Developing a modular 3D construction printer as BOD2, we didn’t expect to produce a model as big as this one, so soon after releasing it to the industry. But we have been fortunate to have Elite for Construction & Development Co. believe in our system, and I’m looking forward to travel to Saudi Arabia, setup their BOD2 and start the training of their operators.”
The BOD2 printers of COBOD has a possible speed of up to to 100 cm per second. So far the concrete pumping equipment together with concrete materials limitations have hindered full utilization of this extraordinary speed. Other BOD2 customers have regularly been able to go up to 30 cm/second, which is a significant 3 times more than previously, but still somewhat below the capacity of the printer.
Michael Holm, Head of R&D at COBOD, continued: “This is by far the most impressive printer we have produced, and as all the BOD2 printers delivered this year, it lives up to our high standards of speed and quality with its special designed steel structure, weather sealed electronics, high level of control and safety features. During our live print testing of this printer we reached a speed of 35 cm per second, which marks another record. Very small demo houses have been printed around the world the last 2 years, but with a 3D construction printer like this , the technology is now taking another major leap forward , as we are able to print 300 square meters in 3 storeys and we are able to do it very fast.”
