Initial Research Pathway

Description of the large-scale 3D printer, ICON - Vulcan Construction System.

• The team started by researching design ideas in civil engineering.
• The team came across 3D-printed structures and chose them as the research idea.
• The team prompted ChatGPT 3.5 with the following prompts: "Hi, please brief me on 3D printed housing technology.", and "Are there examples of specific companies or brands involved in the development of this technology?". The printouts gave the team a concise understanding of 3D printing housing technology and the organizations involved in the field.
• The team chose ICON, a US-based company, to conduct additional research on.
• The team visited ICON's website, and determined ICON's 3D printing system as the Vulcan Construction System.
• The team continued their research into the Vulcan Construction System's capabilities and real-world applications by reading materials from ICON's website, external news articles, and academic journals. The system's specifications, as well as examples of buildings built using the system, were gathered and documented.