Branch Technology on 3D Printing Construction Technology That Is IBC Compliant

Over the past few years, 3D printing has increasingly become one of the strongest allies for the construction sector. Indeed, additive manufacturing opens up a wide range of possibilities for architecture, making it possible to imagine forms that are much more difficult to think of and carry out using traditional methods, as well as enabling the use of very diverse materials and very interesting technologies for the creation of prototypes, parts or buildings. To learn more about one new project, we sat down with David Goodloe, a worker on the Advanced Concepts Team (ACT) at Branch Technology, a 3D printing construction technology company which notably has the benefit of being IBC (International Building Code) compliant.

3DN: Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your relationship to 3D printing?

My name is David Goodloe and I work on the Advanced Concepts Team (ACT) at Branch Technology. My background is in physics and I’m currently pursuing an MBA at Vanderbilt University while working for Branch. My exposure to 3D technologies first occurred while studying physics during my undergraduate career. One of my classmates worked on a 3D printing technology at NASA for an internship. I then sought out a job with Branch Technology immediately after graduation. The ACT is the portion of our business dedicated to advancing cutting-edge applications of our Cellular Fabrication (C-Fab®) technology, typically through funded R&D projects with government or enterprise partners. I have the privilege of managing our projects with the likes of NASA, the US Air Force, the National Science Foundation, and other innovative organizations.

3DN: What is Branch Technology? How did you come up with the idea of creating it?

Our founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Platt Boyd, founded the company while practicing as an architect. He was frustrated with the design constraints imposed by traditional construction methods. Fascinated by how nature creates form and structure, and impressed with the geometric customization capabilities of emerging 3D printing technologies, Platt left his architecture firm to invent Branch’s Freeform 3D printing technology and Cellular Fabrication. He founded the company and has grown it to a team of 30 humans and 18 robots.