Alquist 3D, a homebuilder using 3D printing, completed construction in November on the first 3D-printed house in Muscatine and Iowa. It is the first of 10 planned 3D-printed houses in the city of Muscatine to be completed. 3D printing was responsible for the home’s 10-foot exterior walls, a news release said. It was the second site Alquist 3D built on in Muscatine. The first home, which initially broke ground in May, was torn down in November because the concrete formula that met the necessary requirements in lab testing did not meet the same requirements while on site, WQAD reports. The homes are built using 3D concrete printing and a robotic arm-based 3D printing system from RIC Technology. The robotic arm system aims to improve upon gantry-based 3D construction systems, which requires more costs in labor and renting equipment and are more difficult to transport to construction sites. The project is a collaboration of the city, the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine and Alquist 3D, a news release said. Alquist 3D announced in October that it planned to move its headquarters from Iowa City to Greeley, Colo.
