Waste-Free Production of Ultra-Thin Concrete Panels via Robotic 3D Printing and CNC Dynamic Bed Device (2024-09)¶

The production of freeform building panels in concrete is often limited by the fabrication capacity of custom formworks. Creating such formworks is time and labor-intensive as well as wasteful as the formworks are commonly discarded after use. This research develops a novel approach for the production of freeform panels through coupling robotic 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) and a CNC Dynamic Bed Device (DBD). This enables the production of waste-free, freeform, and highly detailed concrete panels without requiring individualized formwork. The DBD features a composite printing surface made of silicone and a TPU grid, achieving two paradoxical aspects: maximum geometric flexibility while maintaining structural integrity and preventing buckling under the material’s weight in the span between actuating pins. The geometric fidelity of the DBD is verified through a series of laser scans of the bed in convex, concave, complex saddle, and single-curved geometries. The production of complex freeform panels with textures through 3DCP and DBD involved nonplanar print path strategies. This is key in achieving consistent filament deposition and avoiding under/over-extrusion. The results included 5 unique 3DCP freeform panels. Each panel measured 50×50 cm.