Florida-based construction 3D printer manufacturer AMTG has revealed that three of its G2 gantry systems were used together to produce the printed wall system for the Mella shopping center, a commercial construction project developed by one of the company's customers.
The three printers worked in a coordinated workflow, according to AMTG, with long wall sections, openings and architectural transitions formed directly during printing. Spreading the work across several machines allowed the project team to distribute production over the building footprint rather than relying on a single printer.
Coordinating three gantry printers
AMTG describes the G2 as a high-reach gantry construction 3D printer designed for large building projects. Its modular Cartesian structure can be configured according to building geometry and site requirements, so the system can be adapted to different footprints and site conditions.
AMTG has not disclosed how the three printers were synchronized, including whether they operated simultaneously under centralized control or followed coordinated production schedules. The project nonetheless illustrates one approach to scaling construction 3D printing: adding gantry systems instead of building a larger single machine.
The manufacturer's involvement was limited to supplying the printing systems, operator training and equipment-operation certification. Structural design, materials and construction remained the responsibility of the customer's qualified professionals.
Alongside the G2, AMTG offers three construction 3D printer families:
- R-Series: road-mobile and tracked robotic systems for rapid deployment.
- G-Series: gantry printers for on-site construction.
- F-Series: factory-controlled production of prefabricated components.
3D printing moves into conventional construction
Construction firms are increasingly folding 3D printing into commercial building projects. In the United States, Alquist announced an expansion of its construction 3D printing operations through a partnership involving Walmart, construction firm FMGI and equipment supplier Hugg & Hall. That initiative covers more than a dozen commercial projects and includes equipment deployment, operator training and technical support, reflecting a model in which contractors integrate 3D printing into existing operations.
A similar pattern has emerged in Germany, where construction group Matthäi established a dedicated 3D printing division after completing a two-storey office building. Using a COBOD BOD2 printer, the company produced the building's walls in approximately 105 hours, while foundations, floors and roofing were completed by conventional methods.
Expanding the reach of construction printers
Other projects are pursuing higher production capacity and wider coverage from automated equipment. In France, the ViliaSprint² development used a COBOD BOD2 printer to build a three-storey residential block with 12 apartments; its walls and load-bearing structure were printed in 34 days against an initial estimate of 50 days. The project partners are planning a larger development involving two printers operating simultaneously.
In Australia, construction technology company Luyten 3D introduced the ASCEND A27, a tower crane-mounted concrete 3D printer with a working radius of up to 45 meters. Unlike conventional gantry systems, it is designed to cover larger construction footprints from a single installation point.