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Black Buffalo 3D Wants to Reduce Construction’s Carbon Footprint Using 3D Printing

Black Buffalo 3D is a company specializing in additive manufacturing for the construction industry. It has been working for several years on the development of 3D printers and materials for a demanding market, one in which the environmental impact is…

Black Buffalo 3D Wants to Reduce Construction’s Carbon Footprint Using 3D Printing
3Dnatives

Black Buffalo 3D is a company specializing in additive manufacturing for the construction industry. It has been working for several years on the development of 3D printers and materials for a demanding market, one in which the environmental impact is increasingly negative. If you follow 3D printing news, you are aware of all the advantages that 3D technologies bring to construction: reduction of costs, reduction of the amount of concrete used, reduction of labor, greater geometric freedom, etc. There are still many challenges to overcome, but recent innovations show that we are on the right track. And just to understand these latest developments and how they may impact this industry, we met with Michael Woods, the CEO/COO of Black Buffalo 3D Corporation. The company is working to reduce the environmental footprint of construction by using a custom concrete extrusion technology.

3DN : Could you introduce yourself as well as how you discovered AM?

Michael Woods

Black Buffalo 3D is a subsidiary of HN Inc.–formerly Hyundai BS&C–based in South Korea. They have been involved with traditional construction development and creation of smart infrastructure for nearly a decade and saw the potential of applying AM technology to construction projects. Several years ago, they expanded their construction business by acquiring a 3D construction printing manufacturer- Hisys.

Black Buffalo 3D was formed in 2020 as the global accelerator for that business. We have since grown with our own factory in the U.S. and R&D teams dedicated to equipment design, materials science, and sustainability. Our team also invested nearly a year, working with ICC-ES on rewriting the criteria for AC-509 to include multi-story 3D printed walls and partnered with leading cement companies to perfect our proprietary concrete ink. We’re also working on moving beyond waste reduction and testing more sustainable structural inks for even greater impact on making construction a greener industry.