Deerfield Beach, Fla.—Mapei’s Planitop 3D construction ink/mortar, produced in strategic partnership with Black Buffalo 3D Corporation, has been granted official AC509 certification by the International Code Council Evaluation Service (ICC-ES).
Code officials rely on reports from the ICC as a resource for ensuring that innovative building products comply with code requirements. According to the company, this certification was granted after thorough and rigorous testing of the concrete-based ink/mortar. Both Planitop 3D and the Black Buffalo 3D printing technology were found to meet AC509 code requirements for “bearing, nonbearing and shear walls up to 40 feet in height.” AC509 is the ICC code relating to “3D Automated Construction Technology for Concrete Walls.”
“We are very proud of this ICC-ES AC509 certification,” said Luigi Di Geso, president and CEO, Mapei Corporation. “It underscores the fact that our team, along with Black Buffalo 3D, was able to create the best 3D ink/mortar in the world. Mapei is known globally as the leading manufacturer of building materials for the construction industry. Now, we are proud to be the leaders in material innovation for 3D construction.”
According to Derek Chung, founder and interim CEO of Black Buffalo 3D, the company’s goal has always been to make 3D construction printing a coded alternative to traditional construction. “Our AC509 certification is the result of years of hard work and dedication and marks a milestone, not just for us, but for the whole 3D construction printing industry,” Chung said.
According to the company, Planitop 3D is available for sale to all printing manufacturers in North America through Mapei. The companies said the proprietary AC509 cement-based construction ink/mortar has been developed through years of research, testing and evaluation by independent and in-house material scientists at Mapei, Black Buffalo 3D and various third-party labs, including Intertek, which is based in York, Pa.