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Procedia Engineering 196 (2017) 228 – 235

Creative Construction Conference 2017, CCC 2017, 19-22 June 2017, Primosten, Croatia

Purview of 3DP in the Indian Built Environment Sector

Taqdees Anjuma* Poorvesh Dongrea Fozail Misbaha VPS Nihar Nanyama
a
RICS School of Built Environment, Noida 201 301, UP, India

Abstract

3D printing or Additive Manufacturing, a means of total automation, is a part of the new industrial revolution. This technology has
gained significant attention in all the manufacturing industries throughout the world in the last few decades. Considering the
adoption of automation, the construction industry is not lagging behind in adopting 3D printing. Automation in construction by the
use of a 3D printer shall increase architectural freedom, balances the labor dependency, decreases the time & cost overruns and
shall also help in the adoption of Building Information Modelling. This is still a very novice technology in construction industry,
thus, there is a need to understand the challenges & limitations associated with adoption of 3D printing in construction industry.
Stakeholders such as client, consultant, contractors, and end users shall play a major role in the adoption of any new technology.
Thus, the perspective of various stakeholders of built environment sector needs to be assessed to understand the acceptability of
3D printing as a means of construction technology. This research will highlight the status of adoption of 3D printing in the
construction industry and will discuss the benefits and challenges in the adoption of 3D printing in India. Further to the benefits
and challenges in adoption, the potential and future of this technology in Indian construction industry will be discussed.

©©2017
2017TheTheAuthors. Published
Authors. by Elsevier
Published Ltd. This
by Elsevier Ltd. is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Creative Construction Conference 2017.
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Creative Construction Conference 2017
Keywords: 3D Printing, Rapid Prototyping, Additive Manufacturing, Built Environment

1. Introduction and Background

3D printing (3DP) technology has been into existence from more than 30 years. 3DP is often referred to as rapid
prototyping and sometimes additive manufacturing. Even though all the names suggest the same process, each one is

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +91 1206673089; fax: +91 1206673050.

E-mail address: tanjum@rics.org, tanjum@ricssbe.edu.in

1877-7058 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Creative Construction Conference 2017
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2017.07.194
 Taqdees Anjum et al. / Procedia Engineering 196 (2017) 228 – 235 229

meant for a particular use. Rapid prototyping was first name given to the process because it was invented to make
prototypes of a product, Additive manufacturing is an industry name and 3DP is a generic name given to the process.
The American Society for Testing and Materials defines Additive Manufacturing (AM) as “a process of joining
materials to make objects from 3D model data, usually layer upon layer” [1]. 3DP is an additive process of making,
which means that 3D printed objects are made by adding successive layers of a material rather than subtracting from
a block to make the desired object. The printing technology that ASTM refers to, in its definition, are Fused Deposition
Modeling (FDM), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Stereolithography (SLA), etc.
The 3DP process as shown in Figure. 1 starts with the making of a digital 3D model, which is further converted
into a digital 3D shell. In this step the 3D model is tessellated and converted into a “.STL” format. The tessellated
model is then converted into a series of 2.5D slices [2]. The data generated from slicing is stored in standard formats
like SLC (stereolithography contour) or CLI (common layer interface) which can be read by the 3D printer to build
the physical object.

3D Modeling Tessellation Slicing Modeling/

Printing
•CAD software •Series of •Deposition •Laser scanning path
•3D scanners triangles orientation •Material deposition
•".STL" format •Slice thickness path

Figure 1. 3DP Process

The commercial application of 3DP started in mid 1980s in the form of rapid prototyping and this technology has
come a long way before entering the construction industry. Aerospace, defense and automotive are the most mature
industries in the application of 3DP [3]. Every now and then new building or structure being constructed out of 3DP
is reported worldwide, but very less amount of research has been conducted on utilization 3DP for construction. There
exist only 165 documents related to 3DP in construction till December 2016 [4] and most of them emerged after 2012
in the form of articles, web portals, etc.
Joseph Pegna in 1997 for the first time suggested the use of cement based materials in Additive Manufacturing [5].
At Present three large-scale additive construction process are available in the form of Concrete Crafting [6], D-Shape
(Monolite) [7] and Concrete printing [8]. Companies like HuaShang Tengda, WinSun and Apis Cor after taking
inspiration from these construction methods have managed to print an entire concrete building [9] [10].

a. b.

c.

Figure 2. (a) 3D printed bridge, (b) Anti-gravity additive manufacturing, (c) Mini Builders (Source: IAAC)
230 Taqdees Anjum et al. / Procedia Engineering 196 (2017) 228 – 235

Institute of Advanced Architecture Catalonia (IAAC) was in charge of the design and construction of the world’s
first 3D printed pedestrian bridge [11]. The IAAC also invented a family of small scale construction robots, known as
Mini Builders [12], all mobile and capable of constructing objects far larger than itself. In addition to this, the IAAC
is working on project Pylos [13] to optimize the material mix using natural additives and Material to develop an anti-
gravity additive manufacturing system. A company by the name MX3D is utilising metals to print a bridge in mid-air
without the need for support structures [14].
Prof Lawrence Sass at MIT is doing his research on 3DP of affordable houses. These can be quickly constructed
using locally available materials and used as shelter homes during a disaster [15]. Researchers at Huazhong University
of Science and Technology, China have developed a combination of the three-dimensional (3D) scanning and cement
mortar-based 3DP technology is used for reproducing a historical building ornamental component [16]. Based on the
research carried out in other countries, there is a need to understand the 3DP from Indian perspective. Literature
doesn’t suggest that there exists a documentation of challenges and benefits from the perspective of Indian
stakeholders in adopting 3DP in construction sector. Hence, this research fulfills the gap by understanding the purview
of 3DP in Indian Built Environment (BE) sector.

2. Objectives and Methodology

This paper mainly focuses on understanding the development of 3D printing in worldwide scenario and bringing
out the insights from Indian built environment sector on the application of 3D Printing. Indian Construction industry
is moving towards automation right from utilising emerging technologies such as precast, volumetric methods etc.,
till the process of digitalization at project sites. Efficient planning, customization and a controlled environment can be
created for a construction project site with the help of 3D Printing. The overarching research aim framed for the project
is:
“To understand the benefits and challenges associated with the adoption of 3D printing technology in Indian BE
sector”.
Objectives encompassing the research aim are:
1. To identify the level of awareness and perception about 3D printing technology among different stakeholders
2. To identify the benefits associated with the application of 3D printing technology
3. To project the limitations and challenges associated with implementation of 3D printing technology
To achieve the above objectives, following steps are planned as a part of methodology for the project.
1. Identifying the benefits, applications and challenges for adoption of 3D printing technology: Thorough
literature review is conducted to understand the perspective of international and national case studies.
Research gap is examined to frame the questions on challenges and benefits pertaining to 3D printing
2. Questionnaire and Interview Survey: Responses to be captured for identifying the level of awareness,
benefits and challenges in adoption of 3D printing technology.

International Identification of Interviews of Level of awareness

perspective about benefits and senior among different
3D printing through challenges for management stakeholders
literature review adaptation of 3D
printing in Questionnaire
Indian perspective construction survey
through literature Benefits and
review challenges in order
Graphical and
Questionnaire statistical analysis of importance
Goal & Objectives Preparation for ranking

Literature Review Gap Analysis Data collection Results & Conclusion

&Analysis
Figure 3. Methodology
 Taqdees Anjum et al. / Procedia Engineering 196 (2017) 228 – 235 231

3. Data Analysis: Responses received from different stakeholders are analysed graphically using pie charts and
histograms for ranking of the benefits and challenges in adoption of 3D printing.

3. 3DP in Indian Industry

3D printing is relatively a new technology in Indian industry. According to Additive Manufacturing Society of
India, Indian market for 3D printing products & services is only 3.3% of total Asia Pacific market. There has been an
increase in the demand of personal 3D printers, but high end 3D printing technology is still missing in India. Regular
initiatives by local manufactures and assemblers has made personal 3d Printers commercially available at reasonable
prices. But utilization of 3D printers on commercial scale is yet to develop on large scale due to expensive nature, lack
of awareness, and scalability of machines [17].
The 3D printing methods that prevail in India are FDM, SLS and SLA and many industries are successfully using
it for a variety of applications. The electronics industry, with 24.1% market share by volume, leads in the application
of 3D printing in India. Other Indian industries that make significant use of this technology are automotive (21.2%),
medical (15%), industrial (13.8%), aerospace (10.8%) and architecture (5.2%) [17], indicating only 5.2% application
of 3DP in the BE sector.

4. Survey Design:

The 3DP offers a lot of flexibility in terms of a variety of construction materials, a range of customizations and the
complexity of designs can be incorporated in the construction of a building. The additional advantages of using 3DP
as a method of construction are reduction in material wastage [18], customized homes and buildings [19], savings in
construction cost [20] reduction of construction time [20], reduction of construction labor dependency [19], safety in
Construction, automation in Construction, flexibility to the architects [19], etc.
Apart from the advantages the adoption of 3DP as a means of construction encounters various challenges such as
lack of research and knowledge [4], codes and guidelines, sustainability of 3D printed structures , Structural design,
Strength & testing, compatibility with raw materials, availability of suitable materials, end user acceptability,
economies of scale [21], technology transfer, compatibility with work packages [18], printing complex structures,
requirement of 3D digital models, printing the structure as whole or in parts, scale and size of 3D printing [19] [10].
A variety of 3DP application in the BE sector can be identified as printing of architectural and demonstration
models, art and decor pieces, freeform building elements, interiors panels, fixtures and fittings, plastering or surface
finishing, etc. Also 3d printing of entire building in the form of concrete structures is now possible due to the recent
technological advancements in the field of Construction using 3DP [22].
To understand the current status of 3DP in Indian BE sector a questionnaire was floated to capture the responses
from the various stakeholders of the construction industry such as Contractor, Developer/Client, Consultant, End user,
etc. All the identified applications, benefits and challenges were incorporated to formulate the questionnaire.
Interviews of senior management professionals and researchers were also conducted to understand their perception of
applying 3D printing technology in construction sector.

5. Analysis and Results-

Total 186 survey responses were received from the different stakeholders of Indian BE sector. The profiles of the
respondent were contractor (22.65%), developer/client (14.36%), consultant (26.52%), end user (25.97%) and other
(13.26%), of which others included engineers, government professionals, academicians, researchers etc. These
respondents were having a range of working experience, of which most of the respondents were young professionals
having experience in the range of 0-5 years.
Only 55.91% respondents i.e. 104 were aware about the application of 3D printing in the BE sector. After further
data cleaning and processing 87 responses were accepted and the opinion of these respondents were taken into
consideration for further research.
The selected responses were examined to know the depth of awareness about the 3D Printing application. Most of
the respondents (70.87%) have only heard about the 3DP either through a news source or through demonstration
232 Taqdees Anjum et al. / Procedia Engineering 196 (2017) 228 – 235

videos. Very few respondents have either researched (7.77%) or used (2.91%) 3DP in the BE sector in different forms
as explained earlier. 14.56% respondents have seen 3D printed models and prototypes as an application of 3DP in
Indian BE sector. Also in the Figure 5. 3.88% others represent awareness through training, discussion, lecture sessions,
etc.

a. b. Respondent's
Respondent's Profile
6.08%
Experience 13.26%
8.84%
22.65% Contractor

0-5 Years Developer/

11.05%
Client
6-10 Years 25.97%
Consultant
14.36%
>10 years End user
76.80%
>20 years Other
26.52%

Figure 4. (a) Respondent’s Profile, (b) Respondent's experience in the BE sector.

The respondents were asked about the possible applications of 3DP in the Indian BE sector and they were expected
to give multiple responses. 72.41% respondents suggested 3D printed architectural and demonstration models as the
most possible application of 3D Printing. This suggest that Indian stakeholders are not well acquainted with the usage
of 3DP as a complete construction process. 3.45% others also suggested the application of 3DP in affordable and mass
housing sector.

3.88%
2.91% Heard about it in News and seen
related videos

Studied about 3D Printing as Part

14.56% of a research

7.77% Have seen or used 3D Printed

Models and Prototypes

Have used 3D Printing for

70.87% Construction projects

Other

Figure 5. Sources of 3DP awareness in Indian BE Sector

Further the respondent were asked to rate the benefits and challenges on a scale of 1 to 5, i.e. 1 - Strongly disagree,
2- Disagree, 3- Neither agree nor disagree, 4- Agree and 5 - Strongly Agree. The percentage score given to each of
the benefits are shown in the figure 7. According to them the most important benefit of 3DP is reduction of construction
time. Apart from the already mentioned benefits respondents suggested a few more benefits such as ability to withstand
tough weather conditions, improved quality of material, durability and affordability. Affordable in the sense that it
 Taqdees Anjum et al. / Procedia Engineering 196 (2017) 228 – 235 233

can be a boon to meet the shortage of EWS housing and social infrastructure in major metropolitan areas including
slum replacement scheme.
The most critical challenge that the stakeholders consider in construction using a 3D printer is the lack of documents
in the form of codes and guidelines (85.06%). Lack of research and knowledge is also considered as one of the crucial
reasons for 3D printing not being adopted as a method of construction. Apart from these many respondents were also
concerned about the high cost of 3DP structures. A few challenges were suggested by the respondents such as ability
to withstand Earthquakes and lack of skilled manpower. And the most important challenge suggested was, to create
awareness about the application of 3DP in the BE sector.

100%

80%
Total selected responses

60%

40%

20%

0%
As 3D Printed In interior
As 3D Printed In interiors as
Architectural As 3D Printed finishing as In 3D Printing
Freeform 3D Printed
and Art and decor Plastering or of Entire Other
Building Panels, fixtures
Demonstration pieces surface Building
elements and fittings
Models finishing
- 72.41% 42.53% 31.03% 37.93% 31.03% 34.48% 3.45%

Figure 6. Possible 3DP applications on multiple response basis

100%

80%
Percentage Score

60%

40%

20%

0%
Reduction of
Reduced Customized Savings in Reduction of Automation Flexibility to
construction Safety in
material homes and construction construction in the
labor Construction
wastage buildings cost time Construction architects
dependency
- 79.31% 79.54% 68.05% 81.38% 77.47% 75.63% 81.15% 76.55%

Figure 7. Benefits of adoption of 3DP in Indian BE sector

The concept of using 3DP as a method of concrete construction is supported by 58.62% eligible respondents and
35.63% of the eligible respondents are unaware about the same. 68.97% respondents feels that the 3DP is going to
revolutionize the Indian construction industry in the near future.
From the interview of senior management professionals and senior researchers at Indian Institute of Technology,
New Delhi, it is known that Prof S. G. Dhande at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur & Prof P. M. Pandey
at IIT Delhi are the spearheads of rapid prototyping in India and have done some very valuable research in this area.
Prof S. G. Dhande has consulted Indian companies like Lohia Machines Ltd, Hindustan Aeronautical Ltd, Bharat
234 Taqdees Anjum et al. / Procedia Engineering 196 (2017) 228 – 235

Heavy Electricals Ltd & Kirloskar Brothers Ltd to develop 3D printing technologies for prototype testing and
manufacturing.

100%
Percentage Score

80% 85.06%
83.45%

78.62%

77.47%
76.32%
76.09%

75.63%
75.17%
73.10%

73.10%

72.64%

72.41%
72.18%

71.49%
71.26%
70.11%
60%

40%

20%

0%
Lack of Research and

Compatibility with raw

High Costs

Compatibility with work

Technology Transfer
Strength & testing

Availability of suitable

Scale and Size of 3D Printing

End user Acceptability

Economies of Scale

Requirement of 3D digital
Codes and Guidelines

Structural design
Sustainability of 3D Printed

Printing complex structures

Printing the structure as

whole or in parts
Knowledge

materials
materials

packages
structures

models
Figure 8. Challenges in adoption of 3DP in Indian BE sector

6. Conclusion

3DP has seen a lot of growth and promotion in recent times. 3DP already has a number of application in different
fields and its prospect to get applied further is only barred by our imagination. The major advantage of construction
3DP that was identified from this research is high speed of construction. Therefore the technology has a lot of potential
in the countries facing shortage of housing, especially the ones where large number of houses are to be constructed in
very small span of time. India also being one of the developing countries has a large shortage of urban housing and
according to PMAY (Housing for All mission by Indian government) total housing shortage of 20 million is to be
completed by 2022 [23]. Under this Mission a Technology Sub-Mission has been set up to facilitate the adoption of
modern, innovative and green technologies for faster and quality construction of houses. Construction 3DP by
becoming the part of this Sub-Mission can help India to achieve the target that it aims for. But for that to happen, there
is a requirement of generating awareness about application of 3DP in the BE Sector, not only for industry, the
awareness should be reaching the emerging professionals also as they are the future of Indian BE sector. The results
showed that only 55.91% people know about the application of 3DP in the construction industry. It is because very
less documents, standards/codes and case studies are available about the use of 3DP as a method of construction. This
was also cited as the most critical reason in the adoption of construction 3DP by the respondents. Awareness about
this technology in the Indian BE sector can be increased by doing more research. A good amount of research
publications will encourage the industry to implement this technology and develop case studies for further
implementing. It is only with the cohesion of the good research, education, industrial research and government
cooperation that 3DP can become a viable method of construction for Indian industry.
 Taqdees Anjum et al. / Procedia Engineering 196 (2017) 228 – 235 235

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