Development of a 3D printer for printing concrete

🏗️ 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.