World's largest 3D printer prints a house in 80 hours

The State University of Maine has just unveiled the world's largest polymer 3D printer. The new device, called the Factory of the Future 1.0 (FoF 1.0), can print objects up to 29 meters in length, 9.7 meters in width, and 5.5 meters in height. The 3D printer is relatively fast, utilizing 227 kg of material per hour. It can dynamically switch between printing techniques during complex tasks. Thanks to its variety of techniques, the printer is suitable for a range of industries, including residential and infrastructure construction, as well as military needs. Most of the materials it works with are recyclable, allowing structures created by it to be disassembled and the materials reused if necessary. The technology is primarily suitable for rapid construction of affordable housing. The printer specifications indicate that it can build a small one-story house in approximately 80 hours. Researchers at the State University of Maine received funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Energy. Government agencies want to recoup their investments, so the printer will likely also be used to create lightweight, rapidly deployable vessels such as submarines and other maritime transport. Senator Susan Collins called the printer "invaluable for our national security." On the university campus, there is another large printer that was the previous largest 3D printer in the world. It was already used to manufacture a 56-square-meter house made of wood fiber and bio-resin. The new printer is four times larger. If needed, both devices can work on the same projects, speeding up their completion. The State University of Maine will soon begin construction of a new research laboratory called the Green Engineering and Materials Factory (GEM), where both printers will be in operation. The university is considering building an even larger printer. Source: [ABC News](https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/worlds-largest-3d-printer-university-maine-unveiled-bigger-109535758)