Black Buffalo 3D Corporation, a leading provider of large-scale 3D printers for construction, announced that its NEXCON printers and proprietary 3D concrete ink mix—sold in North America by its partner MAPEI Corporation as PlanitopTM 3D—have been approved by the ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) for 3D printed bearing, nonbearing, and shear walls up to 40′ height.
ICC-ES evaluation reports are the most commonly utilized resource by officials around the world to ensure that new and innovative building goods meet code standards. The ICC-ES has issued ESR-4623, which confirms that Black Buffalo 3D construction technology meets the standards of AC509, “3D Automated Construction Technology for 3D Concrete Walls” Black Buffalo 3D offers the world’s only complete 3D construction printing solution that complies with internationally recognized building codes.
Materials matter and Black Buffalo 3D’s proprietary—PlanitopTM 3D—construction ink was specially developed after years of research, testing, and evaluation by independent and in-house material scientists at Black Buffalo 3D Corporation, its partner MAPEI Corporation—a leading construction materials provider for the building industry—and various third-party labs such as Intertek Group plc, a 130-year-old global assurance, testing, inspection, and certification supplier.
“Black Buffalo 3D’s goal has always been to make 3D construction printing a coded alternative to traditional construction,” stated Derek Chung, Founder and Interim CEO of Black Buffalo 3D. “Our AC509 certification is the result of years of hard work and dedication, and marks a milestone not just for us, but for the whole 3D construction printing industry recognizing Black Buffalo 3D clients can print structures that are equivalent to CMU block.”
It took a lot of work to fine-tune the BB3D AC509 Concrete Mix (sold as PlanitopTM 3D in North America) and BB3D’s NEXCON printers for the 3D construction sector. The AC509 certification is the final step in a lengthy approval process that has already included several 16+ hour print sessions on NEXCON printers by the Black Buffalo 3D team, the need for Intertek to purchase a stronger machine to test the walls, and a tremendous amount of hard work from all parties involved. The material, machine, and printed walls were all tested to ensure that each component and the end product met AC509 standards at every stage of the 3D printing process.
“Planitop 3D will unlock the true potential of 3D construction printing by providing contractors and builders with internationally accepted certification that their projects will be strong and durable,” said Luigi Di Geso, President and CEO of MAPEI Corporation. “And the resulting structures will be built quickly and at a fraction of the cost of traditional construction, which means that affordable housing can be within reach for more people.”
3D construction printers have the potential to change the way the world addresses issues such as affordable housing, industrial structures, emergency shelters, and robust infrastructure. Additive manufacturing provides a more efficient and speedier approach to residential, commercial, and custom construction. On-demand and on-site 3D printing is now a coded technology. More information is available in ESR-4623, which is available upon request and through ICC-ES. PlanitopTM 3D for all 3D construction printers is now available straight from MAPEI.
