A response to the challenges of tomorrow

This production method would be an alternative to the conventional moulding technique. Production costs would be lowered and productivity increased. In addition, the 3DFORMWORKS project also aims to formulate ‘low-carbon’ cementitious inks using alternative materials.

This will contribute to the decarbonisation of these SMEs by offering products that are more environmentally virtuous while reducing site waste. The project is also focusing on optimising the 3D printing process for cementitious inks by identifying the optimum machine parameters depending on the degree of complexity of the part and the external conditions. The study of the stability of structures during printing using digital simulation is also part of the 3DFORMWORKS research programme.

As the project makes technical progress, interactive workshops and thematic seminars will be organised for companies in the FWVL Interreg zone, with the aim of encouraging the transfer of knowledge and skills from the world of research to that of industry. Demonstration pieces and/or case studies will also be produced.

To meet the expectations of the project, the INISMa and BUILDWISE centres in Belgium and the IMT Nord Europe, CRIStAL and LaMé university laboratories in France have decided to work in synergy to take advantage of their expertise and complementarity in 3D concrete printing technology.

The TEAM2 competitiveness cluster (FR) will assist these research bodies in disseminating and promoting the work resulting from the project to the target industry, with the help of the GREENWIN and MECATECH competitiveness clusters (BE), the FEREDECO federation (BE), ULiège (BE), CERIB (technical transfer centre, FR) as well as the Green Concrete Group in Belgium (GBV, BE) and the Provincial Development Agency for West Flanders in Belgium (POM West-Vlaaderen).