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Watch this giant, automated 3D-printer build a home in Fort Worth

By Nicole Nielsen

/ CBS Texas

FORT WORTH – People gathered this Wednesday in Fort Worth to witness the construction of what is believed to be the city's first 3D-printed home.

Gone are the days of pouring concrete by hand. Why bother when a giant printer can do it for you?

"It's working on autopilot, taking the design fed into it and printing the walls layer by layer," said Peter Cooperman of Black Buffalo 3D.

Black Buffalo 3D, a Pennsylvania-based construction company, is behind this innovative project. Spectators were amazed by the technology.

"It's not often that people line up at construction sites just to see what's going on," Cooperman added.

The method uses a large-scale printer and an "ink" that is three-and-a-half times stronger than normal concrete. 

"It follows similar code to a desktop printer," Cooperman said.

This approach is not only quicker but also cheaper. The entire home is expected to be completed within a few weeks, compared to the months traditional construction would take. The hope is that 3D printing will revolutionize the housing market, making home ownership more affordable for North Texans.

Eric Copeland, the chief building official for the state of Montana, traveled to Fort Worth to observe the process.

"We have affordable housing issues the same way as there is here," Copeland said. "3D printing can help combat that, so we came down here to educate ourselves and learn more about it."

Though the concept of 3D printing in construction isn't new, seeing it in action remains cutting-edge.

"I've never seen a 3D-printed house, didn't even know they had them," neighbor Sheila Ratliff said. "I am just curious to see the finished product!"

The more the public sees 3D printing in action, the more they believe in its potential to transform housing.

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