🏗️ Project: Development of a mobile 3D printer for concrete printing
🎯 Project goal:
To create technical documentation and an engineering solution for a mobile 3D printer capable of printing with construction concrete mixtures on an open site. The printer must be suitable for transportation, quickly assemble, and print structures with high precision.
🔧 Key technical requirements
🔹 Type of structure:
- Gantry frame (XYZ) or robotic arm (options can be discussed)
- Working area: **at least 6×6×3 m**
- The printer must be **mobile**, with the ability to fold into a trailer/container
- Assembly/disassembly: no more than 6 hours with 2 people
🔹 Mechanics:
- Guides: linear rails / rollers / tubular (to be discussed)
- Drives: servo motors or stepper motors with encoders
- Transmissions: toothed belts or ball screw pairs
- Positioning accuracy: **±2 mm**
- Idle speed: **300 mm/s**
- Printing speed: **50–100 mm/s**
🔹 Printing system:
- Principle: **cement mixture extrusion**
- Pump type: **peristaltic or screw**
- Nozzle diameter: **10–50 mm** (nozzle replacement)
- Material: concrete mixture with a fraction of up to 4 mm, with additives/fibers
- Sensors: pressure, temperature, flow, failures
- Mandatory function of **self-cleaning nozzle**
🧪 Mixing and feeding the mixture:
- Mixer type: **planetary or screw**
- Automatic dosing of water, cement, aggregates
- Hopper volume: **100+ liters**
- Sensors: level, humidity, temperature
- Protection: stop on failure, emergency button
⚙️ Electronics and Software:
- Controller: Marlin / Duet / LinuxCNC / GRBL / others (to be agreed)
- Compatibility with G-code
- Interface: touchscreen or web panel
- Safety system: emergency stop, thermal protection, logs
- Power: **up to 10–12 kW**, power supply 380V (or 220V as an option)
💻 Software:
- Support for STL and G-code
- Compatibility with slicers: Simplify3D, Slic3r, Cura, others
- Ability for **adaptive printing speed**, control of pauses and seams
- Logic programming: Python or C++ (of choice)
📄 Documentation:
- Complete 3D CAD model
- Assembly and service manual
- Electrical and controller schematics
- Parts list and specifications
- Example of concrete mixture recipe
📦 Expected results:
- Prototype or working CAD model of the 3D printer
- Engineering specifications for production
- Optionally — motion/extrusion simulation (in Fusion / SolidWorks / others)
📅 Deadline:
⏱️ **30–45 days** from the moment of approval of the specifications
💰 Budget:
💵 From 1000 to — depends on the depth of implementation (to be discussed)
📌 Requirements for the performer:
- Experience in developing 3D printers / CNC / automated equipment
- Knowledge of mechanics, hydraulics, control
- Understanding of the specifics of concrete mixtures — will be a plus
- Portfolio of similar projects — mandatory!
📎 How to apply:
📤 Write:
1. Your experience in similar projects (links, videos, photos)
2. Which part you can definitely perform (mechanics / software / electronics)
3. Estimated cost and timelines
4. Whether you are ready to work in stages (first mechanics, then the rest)
🟢 I look forward to collaborating with an engineer who "gets" the topic and can implement an industrial machine, not a toy. We work for results!
🤝 The project is being implemented in partnership with the public organization "Active Society of Ukraine", with the aim of restoring housing infrastructure in Ukraine after wartime destruction.
🤝 Social significance:
The project is being implemented jointly with the NGO "Active Society of Ukraine" to develop technology for housing recovery in affected regions of Ukraine through rapid concrete 3D printing.
