New 3D Printer Builds 10 Houses in One Day in China (VIDEO)

3D printers can print everything from food to stencils. In fact, they're being heralded as the next big step when it comes to manufacturing technology. Now, a Chinese construction firm based in Shanghai has taken 3D printing one step further. They've created a printer that can actually construct houses.

The new printer in question uses a cement-based mixture made up of construction waste and glass fiber. It doesn't print the entire house, though; instead, it prints pieces which can then easily fit together and be constructed on site. That said, it does hold amazing potential. The company was able to create a total of ten single-story, 3D printed homes in under 24 hours with this new technology.

The company who owns the printer, WinSun Decoration Design Engineering, spent the past 12 years developing the new printer, according to International Business Times. Now, it looks like their efforts have paid off. Each of the houses are designed to accommodate both electrical wiring and plumbing, and the cost of each printed home is only about $5,000, according to The Huffington Post. Not only that, but the houses are eco-friendly.

"Industrial waste from demolished buildings is damaging our environment, but with 3D-printing, we are able to recycle construction waste and turn it into new buildings materials," said Ma Yihe, the 3D-printer's inventor and CEO of WinSun, in an interview with International Business Times. "This would create a much safer environment for construction workers and greatly reduce construction costs."

You can check out the 3D printer and the house construction for yourself in the video below, courtesy of YouTube.