Application of Small-Scale 3D Printable Models in Architecture, Engineering and Construction

The 4th Industrial Revolution is a phenomenon describing shift from traditional conception of the computer and the machine into reality with intelligent automation and fabrication. Additive manufacturing describes new technologies for production, made possible with the evolution of computational tools, material engineering, robotics. As one of the most common categories of additive manufacturing, 3D printing is a technology already present in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry both on practical and experimental level. Large-scale 3D printing includes fabrication of real-size buildings and as a consequence is a subject of extensive multidisciplinary researches and experimentations. Small-scale 3D printing offers opportunity to reduce cost of experimentation in large-scale printing domain but also to produce useable, real size products that can be applied and used in the construction industry. This paper is intentioned to present examples and discuss the potential of further integration of small-scale 3D printing technology in AEC industry. As a relatively new technology, already being mass adopted by the global population of makers, hobbyists, scientists, small scale 3D printing has a huge potential to contribute to sustainable and efficient progress of 4th Industrial Revolution in the domain of building design and construction.