Robotic on-site adaptive thin-layer printing: Challenges and workflow for design and fabrication of bespoke cementitious plasterwork at full architectural scale


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Date

2023-06

Publication Type

Journal Article

ETH Bibliography

yes

Citations

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Data

Abstract

This paper describes the 1:1 scale application of Robotic Plaster Spraying (RPS), a novel, adaptive thin-layer printing technique, using cementitious base coat plaster, realized in a construction setting. In this technique, the print layers are vertical unlike most 3DCP processes. The goal is to explore the applicability and scalability of this spray-based printing technique. In this study, RPS is combined with an augmented interactive design setup, the Interactive Robotic Plastering (IRoP), which allows users to design directly on the construction site, taking the building structure, as-built state of the on-going fabrication and the material behavior into consideration. The experimental setup is an on-site robotic system that consists of a robotic arm mounted on a semi-mobile vertical axis with an integrated, automated pumping and adaptive spraying setup that is equipped with a depth camera. The user interaction is enabled by a controller-based interaction system, interactive design tools, and an augmented reality interface. The paper presents the challenges and the workflow that is needed to work with a complex material system on-site to produce bespoke plasterwork. The workflow includes an interactive design procedure, localization on-site, process control and a data collection method that enables predicting the behavior of complex-to-simulate cementitious material. The results demonstrate the applicability and scalability of the adaptive thin-layer printing technique and address the challenges, such as maintaining material continuity and working with unpredictable material behavior during the fabrication process.

Publication status

published

Editor

Book title

Volume

3 (2)

Pages / Article No.

145 - 156

Publisher

Springer

Event

Edition / version

Methods

Software

Geographic location

Date collected

Date created

Subject

Spray-based printing; Prediction models for complex materials; Augmented interactive design; On-site mobile fabrication; Bespoke cementitious plasterwork

Organisational unit

03708 - Gramazio, Fabio / Gramazio, Fabio check_circle
03709 - Kohler, Matthias / Kohler, Matthias check_circle
02284 - NFS Digitale Fabrikation / NCCR Digital Fabrication

Notes

Funding

141853 - Digital Fabrication - Advanced Building Processes in Architecture (SNF)

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