Digital Composites: Robotic Add-on 3D Printing in Architecture

Abstract

This thesis investigates how robotic 3D printing (3DP) processes can create functionally integrated composites. Composite materials represent a crucial chapter in twentieth-century technological advancements, particularly with the emergence of polymers. A composite refers to the combination of two distinct types of constituent materials: the matrix and the reinforcement. This synergy produces material properties superior to those of many naturally occurring materials. While composites have been extensively utilized in the aerospace and automotive industries for decades, their digital fabrication remains relatively underexplored in architecture. The objective of this dissertation is to efficiently materialize one-of-a-kind composite components using digital techniques, primarily 3DP and computational design, while integrating several functional requirements. This research investigates advancements in structural elements, building insulation, electrical infrastructure, and kinetic architecture. These advancements are achieved by developing a digital design-to-fabrication workflow for specific composite materials, including carbon fiber-reinforced polymers, foam- and lattice-cored sandwich structures, conductor-reinforced plastics, and elastomers embedded with shape memory alloys. A novel robotic fabrication process is developed, integrating Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) extrusion 3DP technology for large-scale manufacturing of bespoke composite components. This process allows for the incorporation of a wide variety of materials into a single procedure with precise material distribution, enabling the efficient creation of composites. Simultaneously, material-aware design is studied, introducing computational strategies to establish the anisotropic configurations of materials in composites, facilitating their adaptability for designated tasks. In this approach, the arrangement of materials is guided by a specified form, with configurations informed by their inherent structural, thermal insulating, electrical, or kinetic properties. Case studies and prototypes applying the presented fabrication process and computational strategies are manufactured, analyzed, evaluated, and discussed. Compared to conventional methods, this research enables a higher degree of customization of constituent materials in composite components without the need for molds and formwork. The developed fabrication process integrates multiple extrusion techniques, including layer deposition, spatial-extrusion, and Add-on 3DP. The presented Add-on 3DP method is a major contribution to this work, enabling the application of reinforcement materials directly on pre-existing three-dimensional surfaces. By allowing the strategic distribution of matrix and reinforcement materials, this thesis facilitates a shift toward increased material heterogeneity in architecture and construction. It explores the delicate balance between functionality and aesthetic aspirations, suggesting a future in which function-centric material design could recalibrate prevalent architectural aesthetics. The developed digital design-to-fabrication workflow demonstrates the ability to generate highly customized material compositions with accentuated building functionalities and simplified fabrication procedures, hinting at the potential future of design, fabrication, and research in architecture utilizing digital means to process composites.