World’s first 3D-printed medical center completed
By Quinn Purcell, Managing Editor
3D construction printing reached new heights this week as the world’s first 3D-printed medical center was completed in Thailand. Often associated with residential homebuilding, 3D construction printing (3DCP) is an industry innovation that aims to build homes faster, cheaper, and stronger.
The recently finished medical center in Saraburi, Thailand, spans 3,712 sf and is two stories tall—the first two story 3D-printed building in the ASEAN countries. The medical center was built by Siam Cement Group (SCG), the largest and the oldest cement and building material company in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
Building the world’s first 3D-printed medical center
Using a BOD2 3D concrete printer from COBOD, the medical center bears a familiar wavy-wall design often seen in many 3D-printed structures. This building was specifically designed to support seismic loads as well. Due to the method of 3DCP, SCG was able to build the center at an increased speed with less labor required compared to conventional building methods.
The success of the Saraburi medical center was supported by SCG’s collaborative studies with Thailand universities. Chalermwut Snguanyat, 3D Printing and Fabric Concrete Technology Director from SCG, notes that the design of the 3D-printed medical center was approved by a senior professional engineer, and the materials used were SCG printing mortars with strength classes of C75/80 and C30/35 for load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls, respectively.
According to SCG, the building’s freeform design stands out for “only being possible due to the use of 3D construction printing.”
As an official distributor of COBOD in Thailand, SCG aims to continue increasing construction efficiencies, improving design, and reducing the environmental footprint by generating less waste on the construction site.
