Visit

Main Content Area

Continuing Education

3D Concrete Printing

The future of homebuilding is happening now—right here in Greeley. Aims Community College, in partnership with Alquist 3D, is offering a groundbreaking program that includes an Intro to 3D Concrete Printing course and a Hands-On Lab where you’ll learn to operate the technology behind this innovative, sustainable construction method. Get in on the ground floor of a high-demand industry that's transforming how we build.


3D Concrete Printing Hands-On Lab

This hands-on course, offered at the Greeley Campus Applied Technology and Trades Center, offers comprehensive, hands-on education, uniquely integrating 3DCP material science with coding and design.

At this time, the hands-on lab is available only to students who have completed the Introduction course. 

 


About the Hands-on Lab

3DCP Coding & Design

This portion of the 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) hands-on class bridges the gap between digital design and robotic execution, providing participants with essential skills in 2D sketching, robotic manipulation, and G-code generation for 3D printing. Through a mix of guided instruction, hands-on exercises, and practical demonstrations, students will gain a solid foundation in 3DCP workflows, from initial design to robotic execution.

Course Highlights and Learning Activities
  • Classroom instruction with follow-along exercises to gain familiarity with Rhino 8.
  • Setting up design environments, including unit specifications and file management.
  • Command-line navigation to select and implement various design tools.
  • Sketching fundamentals, generating and manipulating points, lines, and arcs to create a closed 2D sketch.
  • Design exercises, including student-created sketches and structured tasks from printed handouts.
  • Multi-stage print planning, designing door and window openings for a 3DCP build.
     

3DCP Printing Material Science

This portion of the 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) hands-on class provides an in-depth understanding of the essential processes, equipment, and techniques required for successful concrete printing. Combining lectures, hands-on assembly, and live demonstrations, this course will equip participants with the knowledge and skills to operate, troubleshoot, and optimize 3DCP systems.

Course Highlights and Learning Activities
  • Lecture on Batch Mixing vs. Continuous Mixing Systems, their components, and operational differences.
  • Hands-on physical examination of a batch mixing system and its major components.
  • Dry run of the batch mixing system, highlighting its different control functions.
  • Walkthrough of the cleanout procedure, ensuring proper maintenance and longevity.