Scaling Large-Format 3D Printing for Housing and Energy | ORNL and the University of Maine

Why It Matters

By merging bio‑based 3D printing with nuclear construction, the initiative tackles housing affordability, creates sustainable jobs, and accelerates clean‑energy infrastructure, offering a scalable solution for regional and national challenges.

Key Takeaways

• Maine's housing crisis drives 3D‑printed wood construction research.
• Oak Ridge Lab created first large‑format printer for bio‑based materials.
• Pellet‑fed gantry system enables rapid, two‑day house assembly.
• 3D‑printed forms accelerate nuclear reactor component installation, cutting costs.
• Collaboration trains next‑generation engineers and builds regional manufacturing infrastructure.

Summary

The video highlights a partnership between Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Maine to scale large‑format 3D printing using wood‑based feedstock, aiming to alleviate Maine’s acute housing shortage and energy challenges.

The collaboration leverages Oak Ridge’s pioneering large‑format, pellet‑fed gantry printer to fabricate structural forms from sawdust and other bio‑based materials, cutting construction cycles from months to days. The same technology is being applied to print concrete molds for nuclear reactor components, promising faster schedules and lower capital costs.

Key remarks underscore the interdisciplinary ethos: “None of us is as smart as all of us,” and federal experts were dispatched after Maine was declared an economic disaster area. Companies like Chyros cite the need for affordable nuclear power and see 3D‑printed construction as a pathway to meet that demand.

If successful, the approach could revitalize Maine’s timber industry, generate green jobs, and provide a replicable model for rapid, low‑cost housing and nuclear infrastructure nationwide, while training the next generation of engineers in advanced manufacturing.

Original Description

The Department of Energy's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Maine’s (UMaine) Advanced Structures and Composites Center are partnering to advance large-format additive manufacturing for housing, energy, and infrastructure applications.

Through the SM2ART partnership, ORNL and UMaine combine national laboratory scale, advanced manufacturing systems, and regional expertise to develop and demonstrate new approaches to large-scale 3D printing. Their work shows how additive manufacturing can accelerate construction timelines, enable complex geometries, and support cost-effective deployment across sectors.

This collaboration has led to real-world demonstrations, including BioHome3D, the nation’s first fully 3D-printed house, and ongoing work with Kairos Power to develop printed forms and precast approaches that can streamline nuclear construction and reduce project schedules.

In this video, learn more about:

· How large-format additive manufacturing enables faster, more flexible construction

· How printed forms and precast components support complex energy and infrastructure projects

· How ORNL and UMaine work with industry to scale additive manufacturing technologies

· How national laboratories help move advanced manufacturing from concept to deployment

About the collaboration

Established in 2016, SM2ART integrates MDF with UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center and has supported more than 50 industry partnerships nationwide. MDF is supported by the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office.

The C4 Partnering Model

This work is part of DOE’s C4 Partnering Model, led by Sandia National Laboratories, which accelerates cross-sector collaboration and technology deployment. Learn more: https://www.sandia.gov/c4/

ORNL is using #BigScience to make a big impact. Learn more: https://www.ornl.gov/bigscience