UMaine Experiments With 3D Printed Floor Panels Made With Wood Residuals

The US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Maine are leading new engineering research into floor cassettes made using recyclable natural materials that are strong enough to be used in multi-story buildings, according to a recent feature by Archinect (8-10-24).

Thanks to experiments at UMaine’s cutting-edge Advanced Structures and Composites Center, engineers were able to produce a capable model made from polylactic acid and lumber by-products, such as wood flour.

The SM2ART Nfloor cassette components can be 3D printed in roughly two-thirds the time it takes for a typical floor cassette to be factory assembled, thus saving labor costs. Scott Tomlinson, a structural engineer at the Center, said, “This technology holds a lot of promise for the future of sustainable buildings.”