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3D Printing of Houses - Cheap Houses for everyone

Hammer2013 — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 12:00:48 +0800

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World's first 3D-printed apartment building constructed in China

A Chinese company has successfully 3D printed a five-storey apartment building and a 1,100 square metre villa from a special print material.
by Michelle Starr

While architectural firms compete with their designs for 3D-printed dwellings, one company in China has quietly been setting about getting the job done. In March of last year, company WinSun claimed to have printed 10 houses in 24 hours, using a proprietary 3D printer that uses a mixture of ground construction and industrial waste, such as glass and tailings, around a base of quick-drying cement mixed with a special hardening agent.

Now, WinSun has further demonstrated the efficacy of its technology -- with a five-storey apartment building and a 1,100 square metre (11,840 square foot) villa, complete with decorative elements inside and out, on display at Suzhou Industrial Park.

The 3D printer array, developed by Ma Yihe, who has been inventing 3D printers for over a decade, stands 6.6 metres high, 10 metres wide and 40 metres long (20 by 33 by 132 feet). This fabricates the parts in large pieces at WinSun's facility. The structures are then assembled on-site, complete with steel reinforcements and insulation in order to comply with official building standards.

Although the company hasn't revealed how large it can print pieces, based on photographs on its website, they are quite sizeable. A CAD design is used as a template, and the computer uses this to control the extruder arm to lay down the material "much like how a baker might ice a cake," WinSun said. The walls are printed hollow, with a zig-zagging pattern inside to provide reinforcement. This also leaves space for insulation.

This process saves between 30 and 60 percent of construction waste, and can decrease production times by between 50 and 70 percent, and labour costs by between 50 and 80 percent. In all, the villa costs around $161,000 to build.

And, using recycled materials in this way, the buildings decrease the need for quarried stone and other materials -- resulting in a construction method that is both environmentally forward and cost effective.

In time, the company hopes to use its technology on much larger scale constructions, such as bridges and even skyscrapers.

Sos Rumah

Oil Price now drop to USD64

Hammer2013 — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 11:48:06 +0800

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Oil prices in Asia drop further to US$64

December 1, 2014

Investors see crude as remaining vulnerable after last week's OPEC announcement not to reduce production
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oil price_300SINGAPORE: Oil prices fell further in Asia today to new a low, continuing a steep sell-off sparked by OPEC’s decision to maintain crude output in an oversupplied market.
US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for January delivery dipped US$1.55 in early Asian trading to US$64.60, its lowest intraday level since July 2009.
Brent crude for January sank US$1.84 to US$68.31, below the psychologically important US$70 level.
“Negative actions in the oil market are continuing today. Investors see crude as remaining vulnerable after last week’s OPEC announcement,” Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney, told AFP.
“We have not yet seen any piece of news or development that could trigger a bottoming out phase in oil prices,” he added.
The unabated price plunge comes after the 12-nation Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) opted on Thursday to maintain its collective output ceiling at 30 million barrels per day, where it has stood for three years.
OPEC refused to cut production despite a glut of supplies that has sent prices tumbling by more than a third since June, with analysts warning of further falls to come.
The news dragged WTI down US$7.54 in New York on Friday, compared with the settlement price on Wednesday, to end at US$66.15 a barrel. US floor trading was closed Thursday for a holiday.
Brent, meanwhile, had settled at US$70.15 on Friday, down US$2.43 from Thursday’s close. It had earlier touched $67.90, its lowest intraday price since February 2010.
OPEC has come under pressure from its poorer members, including Venezuela and Ecuador, to trim production as slumping prices have eaten into government revenues and raised fears over their economies.
But the group’s powerful Gulf members, led by kingpin Saudi Arabia, resisted the calls to turn down the taps unless they are guaranteed market share – particularly in the United States, where rising production of shale oil has contributed to the global supply glut.
McCarthy said weak Chinese manufacturing data released early Monday was “doing nothing to help oil prices”.
The official purchasing managers’ index for the manufacturing sector in the world’s second-biggest economy fell to 50.3 in November, from 50.8 in October, the government said.
The index tracks manufacturing activity in China’s factories and workshops and is a closely watched indicator of the health of the economy. A reading above 50 indicates growth, while anything below points to contraction.
– AFP

How now Najib's budget?

How much do you think RON95 price

Hammer2013 — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 10:06:28 +0800

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Oil price falls ahead of Opec meeting
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What is Opec? In 60 seconds
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What is Opec? In 60 seconds Watch
Will Opec cut oil production?
Falling oil prices: Winners and losers
The price of oil has fallen as Opec oil producers prepare for their meeting on Thursday and data showed crude stocks rose last week.

Inventories of commercial US crude oil increased by 1.9 million barrels from the previous week, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Brent crude slid 58 cents to $77.75 a barrel after the data.

The drop came as Saudi Arabia indicated it would not push for output cuts to help push up oil prices.

US crude finished Wednesday's business down 40 cents at $73.69 a barrel.

Continue reading the main story
Brent Crude Oil Futures $/barrel
LAST UPDATED AT 27 NOV 2014, 21:30
Brent Crude Oil Future twelve month chart
price change %
72.82 -
-4.93
-
-6.34
The oil market will "stabilise itself eventually", said Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi.

Saudi Arabia is the largest producer of the 12 members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec).

The oil cartel is split over how to react to the sharp slump in oil prices.

The price of Brent crude has plunged 30% since June, triggered by a sharp rise in US shale oil output and weakening global demand.

There is speculation that on Thursday Opec could announce its first cut in oil production since 2009 in an attempt to support the oil price.

Oil price graphic
Among the Opec members, Venezuela and Iraq have called for output cuts.

However, fellow Opec member United Arab Emirates's (UAE) Oil Minister Suhail bin Mohammed al-Mazroui appeared to side with Saudi Arabia, indicating it would not push for a cut in production, saying "the market will fix itself ultimately".

"We are not going to panic, this is not the first time, this is not a crisis that requires us to panic ... we have seen [prices] way lower. We are not interested in the short fixes because we know they will not last," Mr al-Mazroui told Reuters.

Russia says 'no'
The responses from Saudi Arabia and UAE come a day after non-Opec member Russia, which produces an estimated 11% of global oil, said it would not co-operate with any production cut.

Following a meeting with Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Mexico representatives, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said the country's energy companies would produce around the same amount of oil next year as they did in 2014.

He told reporters in Moscow he was sceptical that Opec would decide on Thursday to cut output quotas.

The heated debate over how to react to the sharp fall in oil prices has led to some suggesting that Thursday's meeting could last longer much longer than usual.

"It might take a bit longer than the ordinary meetings," said one delegate. "They must agree, even if they have to stay here for two days. It is a matter of death or survival for budgets."

Brent crude is already USD72 bucks....no more subsidies already...

How much you think RON95 price be on Monday?