by Industrial Print Magazine staff
The use of additive manufacturing (AM) in construction continues to grow as decision makers realize the advantages of manufacturing parts with the technology. Compared to conventional methods, AM offers a faster time to completion as well as a more cost-effective process when creating parts in iterations as small as one.
Above: The Earthmoving Legacy Center is a 38,000 square foot facility that showcases the history of earthmoving at C.J. Moyna.
Multi-Generational
C.J. Moyna & Sons, based in Elkader, IA, is one of the Midwest’s premier grading contractors. It specializes in earthmoving and aggregate processing and mining. A family-owned business, it started in the 1940s with a single bulldozer and by the 1970s it was bidding and completing work for the Iowa Department of Transportation.
Today, the third generation of the Moyna family runs the business and employs over 200. It expanded its offerings to include demolition; aggregate materials production and delivery; utilities installation; equipment development, manufacturing, and delivery; and advanced technologies like drones.
In addition to C.J. Moyna, the company runs four subsidiaries—Moyna Materials, Mobile Track Solutions, Progressive Structures, and Just Move It. These employ an additional 200-plus staff members.
Historical Construction
With a rich history in construction, it makes sense that the company wanted to honor its legacy in a unique way. The Earthmoving Legacy Center is a 38,000 square foot facility in Elkader built to showcase the history of earthmoving. It displays historical construction vehicles like antique caterpillars, tractors, and scrapers.
Vehicles often come to C.J. Moyna with missing parts. During and even after the COVID-19 pandemic, it became difficult to source these pieces. Looking for an alternative, Ryan Young, product manager, C.J. Moyna, turned to AM. Starting with a three-dimensional (3D) printer designed for hobbyists, it was determined that an industrial large format 3D printer with an open material system would work better. After researching what was out there, Young chose the BigRep PRO for its build volume, accuracy, reliability, and 3D printer ecosystem offered by BigRep America. The build chamber—fully enclosed—measures one cubic meter, which allows for large-scale part production. And while the device is compatible with BigRep filaments, it also works with third-party materials—which Young says makes the 3D printer versatile.
His favorite filament is PRO-HT—a biopolymer with reduced environmental impact. It is easy to print, FDA compliant for food safety, and formulated for ease of support removal.
Patrick Palmersheim, system administrator, C.J. Moyna, is hands on in the restoration of parts in the legacy center. He enjoys a repertoire with BigRep’s engineers when troubleshooting during production.
Beyond Restoration
It was evident fairly quickly that the BigRep PRO would be helpful in other parts of C.J. Moyna’s business. Sister company Mobile Track Solutions relies on the machine for manufacturing prototypes, functional dashboards, and final pieces.
Prior to AM, dash parts were created using injection molding, which took weeks or even months to produce. With the BigRep PRO, the process is completed in a couple of days. “In two or three days you can have a large, functional piece printed by the BigRep PRO—ready to rock and roll,” shares Young.
Growing Forward
While C.J. Moyna is just at the beginning of working with AM in its daily processes, Young predicts the technology’s use in how the company manufactures and engineers will grow in the future. “In another ten to 15 years, 25 to 30 percent of parts are going to be 3D printed.”
Feb2025, Industrial Print Magazine
