Polyuse Inc. (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Directors: Takuya Iwamoto / Wataru Ooka; "Polyuse"), a developer of construction 3D printers, has begun joint research with Takahashi Curtain Wall Corporation (Head office: Chuo City, Tokyo; Representative: Takeharu Takahashi; TSE Standard: 1994; "Takahashi Curtain Wall") to print curtain walls used for the exterior walls of high-rise buildings and other structures with 3D printers and put them into actual construction, with the aim of contributing to the construction industry and many customers in the future.
- Background and overview of this collaboration
Centered on its PC (precast concrete) curtain wall business, Takahashi Curtain Wall has worked on numerous buildings and facilities that represent Japan, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and the Osaka Station New North Building. It has also actively pursued new product development and new businesses, making a major contribution to the modernization and rationalization of Japanese architecture.
Takahashi Curtain Wall, with its proven technology and extensive industry track record and knowledge, and Polyuse, which develops its own construction 3D printers using advanced technology optimized for Japan, will work together to build safer, more secure cities and infrastructure that will support the times ahead.
*What is a curtain wall?
A non-load-bearing wall that does not support the building's own weight and separates the interior from the exterior like a curtain. It was developed as a construction method that offers ample strength against external forces such as earthquakes and typhoons and that follows the building's movement without the exterior wall falling off or being damaged, even when an earthquake causes differential displacement between floors. Curtain walls are now firmly established as an indispensable construction method for the exterior walls of high-rise buildings.
Against this backdrop, the construction industry today is being called on to change significantly.
Despite growing construction investment, driven mainly by aging social infrastructure, which is recognized as an issue for Japanese society as a whole, a serious labor shortage has become apparent. We also believe that, to keep meeting rapidly changing market needs, more efficient construction methods and new construction materials must be developed quickly while also assuring quality.
The two companies have already conducted several fabrication experiments, verifying printing with a construction 3D printer based on 3D CAD data created by Takahashi Curtain Wall. Going forward, we will advance the joint research and development of products based on interviews with designers and builders and on their needs.
*Masks were removed only while the photo was being taken.
- The potential for collaboration between construction 3D printers and curtain walls, as seen by Takahashi Curtain Wall
With the evolution of methods for manufacturing concrete structures with construction 3D printers, a major recent change in the construction industry, it is becoming possible to express a wide variety of patterns and create shapes that could not be achieved with conventional steel formwork.
Using 3D printers makes it possible to develop products efficiently and at low cost, dramatically shorten the time from product development to delivery, and greatly expand product lineups by producing a wide variety of products on a single production line. We believe these advantages will enhance the value of PC curtain walls.
In addition, labor savings and greater efficiency on production lines are urgently needed to address the labor shortage, which will only become more severe in the future, and construction 3D printers are expected to play a very important role in automating future production systems as well.
Over the medium to long term, we will advance joint research with the aim of using construction 3D printers as a new production method.
Takahashi Curtain Wall's announcement on its official website: https://t-cw.co.jp/
- Comment on the joint research project from Takeharu Takahashi, President and Representative Director of Takahashi Curtain Wall
We are very excited to be working with Polyuse, which is attracting a great deal of attention within the construction industry in the cutting-edge field of 3D printing. I am confident that our collaboration with Polyuse will enable fast-paced development. Working together so that 3D printer technology continues to advance and is put to practical use in the architecture and exterior cladding fields, we will bring 3D-printed products that benefit society to the world.
■About Polyuse Inc.
Company name: Polyuse Inc.
Location: 2F, 2-2-15 Hamamatsucho, Minato-ku, Tokyo (development base in Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture)
Representative Directors: Takuya Iwamoto / Wataru Ooka
Business: Planning, design, manufacturing and sales of hardware, software and services specialized for the construction industry, centered on construction 3D printers
Founded: June 2019
URL: https://polyuse.xyz/
X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/polyuse
[Inquiries regarding this release]
Polyuse Inc. Public Relations Department
URL: https://polyuse.xyz/contact/
Email: info@polyuse.xyz
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