Tvasta, a building technology startup located in Chennai, commenced work to create a model of a one-room 3D printed building at the Nirmithi Kendra (Kesnik) at PTP Nagar in Kerala. The prototype building is being promoted as the first 3D printed building in Kerala. Tvasta is founded by a group of IIT-Madras alums, is carrying out the demonstration project, which Revenue Minister K. Rajan officially opened. Aditya V.S., CEO of Tvasta, expressed his company’s delight at having secured a contract in Kerala.
Aditya V.S., CEO of Tvasta said, “The use of 3D printing building industry will reduce costs, shorten construction times, and reduce the need for workers. The building materials in 3D-printed structures were deposited layer by layer by a robotic arm in accordance with the 3D digital model.”
First 3D Printed Building in Kerala
The first 3D printing building in Kerala has begun construction thanks to Tvasta Manufacturing Solutions, a company that specialises in the technology. This took place in Thiruvananthapuram, in the offices of the state-run Kerala State Nirmithi Kendra (KESNIK).
This 3D printing building, manufactured on-site in collaboration with KESNIK, is a Demo House with a floor space of around 350 square feet. The use of 3D printing for speedy building and widespread personalization will be on display.
Tvasta was created by former students and faculty members of IIT Madras, and in that time it has built more than 5,000 square feet of 3D-printed structures across India.
Along with KESNIK’s director Dr. Febi Varghese and its CTO R. Jayan, the event also included Kerala’s Minister of Housing and Revenue K. Rajan, MLA VK Prashanth of Thiruvananthapuram’s Vattiyoorkavu Constituency, and Kerala Start-Up Mission head Anoop P. Ambika.
Speaking at the event’s of 3D printing building opening, Minister Rajan remarked, “The construction industry in Kerala is growing due to new construction programmes, housing policies, and principles.” Bringing Tvasta’s technology to the building industry is encouraging. The potential of this technology is promising since it is long-lasting, quick, and sustainable, all of which are needed in Kerala because of the state’s challenges caused by unexpected climatic changes.
A robotic arm printer will be used to complete the task at hand, marking the first time that the same machine has been used to demonstrate a hybrid 3D printing approach (offsite and onsite printing). The total time required for printing (using any method) is around 10 days. Printing offshore is done, and printing on site has begun.
Adithya VS, co-founder and CEO of Tvasta Manufacturing, commented on the initiative, saying, “We are happy to partner with KESNIK. By working together, we can spread the word about how useful 3D printing is in the building industry and encourage more government programmes to use the technology. We see the demo building as a hub where the skilled Kerala building industry can network and share ideas.
KESNIK is a government agency founded in 1989 with the mission of spreading CEEF (Cost Effective and Environment Friendly) construction methods as an alternative to the industry standard.
About Tvasta: It was founded in 2016 by Adithya VS, Vidyashankar C, and Parivarthan Reddy, all of whom graduated from IIT Madras. Tvasta, headquartered in both Chennai and Bengaluru, has created a ‘Made in India’ technology that uses automation and robots in 3D printing platforms to improve upon traditional building practises in terms of speed, cost, and sustainability.
