Swedish +Project: 3D Printing Houses Out of Cellulose

A collaborative project launched by Sliperiet maker space at Umeå University’s Arts Campus, has the ambitious goal of developing a technology to 3D print full-scale parts and houses out of cellulose.

Researchers as well as external partners are going to work on the SEK 35.3 million (approx. € 3.8 million) +Project, which has been partially funded by the EU.

“The idea of the project is to develop a technology that can be used in reinforcing the manufacturing industry in the region. For Sliperiet the project, entitled the +Project, is a part in the strategy of forming collaboration in an open and interdisciplinary innovative environment. Here, meetings and collaborations are created between various scientific areas and together with companies in the region,” explained Marlene Johansson, director of Sliperiet.

One of their sub goals is the production of cellulose based materials for full-scale 3D printing of walls or doors for example and, eventually, complete houses. The project is targeted at small and medium-sized industries in the construction and wood sector along with creative markets such as design, architecture and IT. In a collaborative effort companies and creators will work closely with the university and research institutes in order to develop prototypes for products and services based on the regional infrastructure and raw materials. Additionally, the team will explore new circular models for business and production and create a competence centre for sustainable building and administering. The results will be presented at a World Expo in 2018.

“There are rapid developments within the area of digital manufacturing in construction, with technology such as large scale cement 3D printers being developed. With our project, we hope to help put the region at the forefront of this innovation area. Digitalisation, and through it mass-customization, can provide incredibly exciting opportunities for the regional forest and construction industry, and create sustainable business opportunities based on our natural resources,” said Linnéa Therese Dimitriou, Creative Director at Sliperiet.

Only recently we reported on a Swedish research team from Chalmers University of Technology, who was able to 3D print objects made out entirely of cellulose for the first time.