V3D Asia and Nakazawa Construction begin field trial of gantry-type 3D construction printer in Unnan City, Shimane Prefecture

V3D Asia has launched a field trial of its gantry-type 3D construction printer in Unnan City, Shimane Prefecture, in partnership with local contractor Nakazawa Construction. Running from May 25 to 27, 2026, the trial involves printing small-scale structures using domestically sourced ready-mix concrete and mortar to test material properties and workability under near-real construction conditions. V3D Asia, established in June 2022, previously completed residential and public building projects in Indonesia and Brunei. The company aims to use data from this trial to expand collaboration with Japanese construction firms, local governments, and research institutions.

This trial places V3D Asia in the small but active construction 3D printing segment, where global leaders like COBOD and ICON have set the pace with large-scale housing projects. V3D Asia's differentiation lies in its focus on the Asia-Pacific region, with concurrent high-end residential development near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and a large-scale housing project on Batam Island, Indonesia. The use of locally available materials in Japan addresses a key adoption barrier: material qualification and supply chain integration. For the construction AM segment, which remains fragmented and project-based, V3D Asia's multi-country approach tests whether a single platform can adapt to diverse regulatory and material environments.

For V3D Asia, the practical challenge is moving from demonstration projects to repeatable, code-compliant construction workflows. The Unnan trial is a necessary step in building the local references and material data that Japanese construction standards require. The company's stated ambition to become a leading Asia-Pacific construction 3D printing firm will depend on converting these field trials into commercial contracts with developers and municipalities, not just public demonstrations.