Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD model or a digital 3D model.
AM is emerging as a key technology component for construction, particularly prefabricated construction. AM can reduce the number of steps required in the supply chain through autonomous production of building components directly from digital models.
Some of the known benefits of AM include
1. Ability to utilise alternative and waste materials in place of high-emitting Portland cement eg. Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA), Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS), Hemp etc.
2. Labour, time and waste savings
3. Architectural and design freedom
Join us for our inaugural Additive Manufacturing Focus Forum and gain a deeper understanding of the exciting future ahead for AM.
Our speakers
John Nicolaidis, Founder and Director
SLIK Build
John’s experience in the construction industry spans 30 years and three continents. His overriding motivation is to address the need for affordable and social housing both in Australia and abroad.
John actively owned and operated several precast businesses in Australia before an opportunity in 2009 placed him in a combined Greece/Germany based position at the forefront of Affordable Volume Residential Developments and civil construction works funded by the EU for the Roma Organisation of Greece.
During his time in Europe John was introduced to 3D Concrete and gained detailed knowledge of the first project constructed at Beckum, Germany.
Inspired by his experience. John returned to Australia in 2017 determined to advance 3D concrete development in Australia.
John partnered with Industry leaders in concrete and recycling supply chain networks to remove unnecessary complexity and deliver a product and process of application that disintermediates the current mindset regarding the logistics and supply of 3D concrete.
John has successfully tested various concrete mix designs which include recycled materials that are NATA certified and conform to Australian Standards and align with the principles of a circular economy.
John has developed the technology and a model specifically targeted to service the Australian social housing crisis. This model will see regional manufacturing hubs spread out over jurisdictions designed to eliminate concentrated development and anchored by Industry 4.0.
John Croft, Director
Jon Croft Consulting
John has been at the forefront of the adoption of additive manufacturing technology in Australia for more than two decades. In the early 1990s he launched Interact Plastic Services, the first private company in this country to move into additive manufacturing after it purchased a Stratasys FDM 1650 3D printer.
John has extensive experience in providing solutions to major players in the manufacturing, defence, automotive, medical, pharmaceutical, FMCG, and agricultural sectors. He spent more than a decade at Bosch Australia, where he established a new division that would become the preferred supplier of medical device assembly equipment to the healthcare industry.
After running the AM Hub (Additive Manufacturing) for a number of years, John is now involved in large scale Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) in many industries from construction through to marine, aerospace, defence and leisure.
Prof. Tuan Ngo, Research Director
ARC Training Centre for Advanced Manufacturing of Prefabricated Housing (CAMPH) - University of Melbourne
Prof. Ngo specialises in research related to design and manufacturing of sustainable building components and systems using high performance materials. He has spearheaded significant research collaborations with industry to develop new building products and performed experiments on many prefabricated modular building structures throughout his career.
Most recently, Prof. Ngo has been working on critical infrastructure projects to protect buildings against extreme events, such as blasts, impacts and natural disasters. He has also been leading the research and development of advanced protective materials and systems for various companies in the civil and defence sectors.
Prof. Ngo’s is highly regarded as an expert in offsite construction within both the industry and the scientific community. He is also the Director of the Asia Pacific Research Network for Resilient and Affordable Housing.
prefabAUS Focus Forums
prefabAUS Focus Forum’s provide an opportunity to meet with industry colleagues and learn more about a specific area related to the prefabrication industry in an informal setting.
Refreshments are served throughout the event and we aim to keep the presentations to within an hour to allow plenty of time to connect with colleagues.