Comment on Starbucks' new drive-thru in Texas is the coffee giant's first 3D printed store in the US

lemmie689@lemmy.sdf.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

• tal@lemmy.today ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

  I’m guessing that either (a) the method of concrete extrusion or (b) the process the particular company uses doesn’t permit for what I’ve generally heard in the plastic 3D printing world called “bridging” — being able to create some limited degree of overhang to create arches. If you look at the building, there are no arches — the places with windows are gaps reaching to the roof in the 3D printed wall.

  I’d think that one route to achieve that might be, during the printing process, sticking some kind of metal support above the window during the printing process, even if the extruded concrete alone doesn’t permit for it. But if they can’t do that as things stand, it’d explain why they might not want to have a lot of windows.

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  • unphazed@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

    Generally they lay steel plates at certain preprogrammed intervals to place in windows. A worker sits on standby while it pauses a few seconds to just place the part. Not a difficult feat. Just laziness or frugalness on the construction.

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