Integrated Building Information Modelling and 3D Printing for Prefabricated Building

The prefabricated components can be connected to form buildings in prefabricated building based on the design drawings. The production of components in the factory is not standardized and accurate, which leads to difficulty in connecting prefabricated components and low efficiency in construction. Excessive construction materials are piled up on the construction site and these wastes have caused a lot of pollution to the environment. Study proposes to integrating Building Information Modelling (BIM) and 3D printing for prefabricated buildings. Triangulation of BIM models is discussed. Prefabricated components information is extracted by Industry Foundation Class (IFC) files so that BIM can provide prefabricated component models. Additionally, the conversion relationship between BIM and 3D printing is established. Thirdly, the conversion rules and methods for converting BIM data into STL files are developed so that the 3D printer can print the prefabricated components according to the corresponding path. Finally, testing the data format conversion on BIM models shows that our presented approach enables us to convert a BIM model into a data format recognizable for 3D printing. Applying BIM and 3D print in prefabricated buildings will boost the fineness of components and the efficiency of construction and have good performance in decreasing engineering waste.