(Photo provided to Xinhua Daily)

The Jiangbei New Area became home to the first3D-printedbike shelters in Nanjing City on March 29.

About seven raw materials, including cement, flyash, silica fume and steel fibre, were used to create a new type of concrete in the factory, which was then used to feed a 3D printer to produce the shelter’s curved components within 3 hours. Notably, these raw materials were derived from construction wastes, contributing to sustainable development.

The producing process is largely automated, resulting in reduced labor costs. The assembly of a shelter, which measured 6 meters long and 2.2 meters wide, took about 2.5 hours, minimizing noises and dust on the construction site.

The shelter can be equipped with intelligent charging and fire-fighting devices to meet public needs. Given the variety of application environments, the structures can differ in shape, pattern, color and size.