A team from MIT presents a method for manufacturing construction components, such as beams and trusses, using large-scale 3D printing with recycled plastic. The goal is to create modular and lightweight alternatives to traditional wooden structures. In initial tests, these elements have proven to meet and exceed U.S. strength standards, opening a path to more sustainable housing frames.
Additive technology for structural profiles 🖨️
The process uses large-format printers that deposit melted and extruded recycled plastic to build hollow profiles with optimized geometries. This internal configuration, similar to a lattice, provides rigidity and reduces weight. The material, sourced from post-consumer waste, is processed to ensure consistent mechanical properties, validated in load tests that simulate real construction demands.
Your next home, made from shampoo bottles 🏠
It's an unexpected twist for the plastic that once held your shower gel. Now, instead of ending up floating in the ocean, it could be holding up the roof of your living room. The idea that the structure of your home depends on the rigidity of recycled containers makes sense. Perhaps in the future, when passing a beam, you might wonder if it was a sandal or a detergent jug in its previous life.