Apis Cor (Frank/Gary/Mary system)

Apis Cor · Concrete 3D printing · Shipping since 2017

9 Confirmed Deployments
13 Unique Customers

Last updated: 2026-04

Summary

The Apis Cor system is an arm-mounted 3D concrete printer that deposits structural walls on site using a three-unit setup: Frank (printer), Gary (mixer), and Mary (material feeder). It prints walls up to two stories using layer-by-layer cementitious deposition; foundations, roofing, MEP, and finishes remain conventional construction. The system has been shipping since 2017, with 9 documented deployments across Russia, the UAE, and the United States.

Apis Cor (Frank/Gary/Mary system) video
Material Mixing and Feed Layer Deposition (Printing)

How it works on your site

Material Mixing and Feed

The Mary subsystem handles material intake and eliminates manual mixing and heavy lifting from the crew's scope. Gary adapts material flow and mix quality to real-time conditions during printing. Material composition varies by region: cement-based in U.S. projects, gypsum-based for work in the Gulf region.

Layer Deposition (Printing)

Frank prints structural walls up to two stories by depositing cementitious material layer by layer. Walls use standard CMU reinforcement and connection details. For buildings larger than the single-setup footprint, Frank repositions between sections on continuous tracks and recalibrates at each new position. Remote operation across time zones has been demonstrated, with an operator controlling a print from a different state.

How it worked on other sites

Internal Apis Cor demonstration -- Frostprint House

Internal Apis Cor demonstration
  • Wall printing completed in 24 hours inside a heated tent at sub-zero ambient temperatures.
  • First documented on-site 3D-printed house (February 2017).

First Commercially Permitted 3D-Printed Building in America

First Commercially Permitted 3D-Printed Building in America
  • First 3D-printed building to receive a commercial building permit in the United States.

Robot also used by

Dream Co. Construction

Will it work on your site

Spec Value
Surface Concrete foundation (required)
Working height 3.2 m (10.5 ft) print height per setup; extendable with riser to two stories. Horizontal working span up to 8.5 m.
Throughput 50 sq ft/hr (vendor)
Site preparation Conventional foundations first; pickup truck transport; vendor-proprietary file preparation required (details not independently documented)
Power Electric, tethered (generator or site power). Printer: 4 kW (AC 120-220V). Mixing pump: 8 kW (DC 96V or 3-phase AC). Total system: 12 kW minimum.
Connectivity Internet (remote operation demonstrated)
Climate Hardware: -35 C min. Material: 5 C min (heated tent below). 50 C max demonstrated. Rain tolerance not stated.
Autonomy Conditional: teleoperated relocation, autonomous printing and mixing (vendor-claimed, unverified)
Control interface Not disclosed (remote operation implies digital interface)
BIM/CAD Digital design-to-print workflow exists (Autodesk/Thornton Tomasetti collaboration documented). Vendor-specific toolpath format details not independently published.
Environment Hardware: -35 C min. Material: 5 C min (heated tent below 5 C). Operated in Dubai summer conditions (extreme heat, no climate control). Rain tolerance not stated.
Footprint and transport Printer (Frank): 4.5 x 1.2 x 1.7 m folded, 1,450 kg. Mixer (Gary): 1.5 x 0.6 x 1.3 m, 600 kg. Fits standard flatbed trailer towed by pickup truck. Dubai project used crane for repositioning between print sections; smaller projects do not require crane.
Business model Equipment lease ($9,000/month) plus proprietary material purchase ($7/sq ft of wall). No direct equipment sale. Pricing from 2022 crowdfunding materials; current terms may differ.
Operators required 2 people for setup and operation. Training courses offered through Apis Cor University (availability and duration not independently documented). Dubai project used 3 workers plus crane operator for repositioning.
Working area per setup 132 sq m (1,420 sq ft) per printer position. Repositioning required for larger structures. Dubai project (640 sq m total) required multiple repositions with crane assistance.

Talk to Apis Cor

Get in touch about the Apis Cor (Frank/Gary/Mary system) for your project.