No sandbags needed: Marines 3D print a barracks room in 40 hours

The Additive Manufacturing Team at Marine Corps Systems Command and Marines from the I Marine Expeditionary Force operated the world’s largest concrete 3D printer at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Champaign, Illinois, according to the Marine Corps.

The combined force effort was used to 3D print a 500-square-foot barracks hut.

“This exercise had never been done before," Additive Manufacturing’s project officer Capt. Matthew Friedell said in a news release. "People have printed buildings and large structures, but they haven’t done it onsite and all at once. This is the first-in-the-world, onsite continuous concrete print.”

According to the Marine Corps, the team used a design model on an old computer, concrete and a 3D printer. The concrete was then put through the 3D printer. It took approximately 40 hours to complete the barracks hut.

Friedell said that, “if there was a robot to do the mixing and pumping, the building could easily be created in one day.”

RELATED

Army shows off next-level tech at Fort Leonard Wood

The U.S. Army is training troops to use 3-D printers to build concrete barracks, or to use drones to gather intelligence in contaminated spots that might be dangerous for soldiers.

According to estimates by the Marines, it normally takes up to five days and 10 Marines to construct a barracks room out of wood.

“In 2016, the commandant said robots should be doing everything that is dull, dangerous and dirty, and a construction site on the battlefield is all of those things,” Friedell said in the release.

The Marines are commonly the first to respond to communities that have experienced a natural or humanitarian disaster.

“This capability would enable a great partnership with the local community because it is low cost, easy to use, and robotics could print the buildings,” Friedell said in the news release.

More In Your Military

National Guard to help hospitals in Maine, New Hampshire

Both states are reporting surges in COVID-19 cases.

Coast Guard diver pulls body from car above Niagara Falls

It was unclear how the car got into the Niagara River.

Military charities step up to assist families affected by tainted water in Hawaii

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Army Emergency Relief and Air Force Aid Society are providing grants.

US Fleet Forces Command gets new commanding officer

Adm. Daryl Caudle took over as commanding officer of U.S. Fleet Forces Tuesday, relieving Adm. Christopher Grady, who has been tapped to serve as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Russians have 120,000 troops on its border, increased intel gathering, Ukraine ministry says

There are about 98,000 Russian ground troops and about 22,000 air and naval forces arrayed around the former Soviet satellite, according to a Ukrainian military assessment obtained by Military Times.

In Other News

Couple accused in Navy submarine spy case wanted to leave US because of Trump, lawyer says

Prosecutors have until later this month to respond to the defense motion.

Expelled Coast Guard cadet sues over policy banning parents

The ban was introduced in the late 1970s, just after the academy began admitting women.

Integrating deterrence across the gray — making it more than words

The authors propose concepts to address a gap in discourse on "integrated deterrence" in the upcoming National Defense Strategy.

Remains of US soldier killed in Korean War identified

More than 7,500 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War.

Helping kids cope with military life: ‘The Spouse Angle’ podcast

The Spouse Angle is a podcast breaking down the news for military spouses and their families.

Load More