A Unified Workflow for Enhanced Efficiency in 3D Concrete Printing Using a 6 DoF Robotic Arm (2025-12)¶

Robotic construction through 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) is revolutionizing the construction industry by offering design flexibility, efficiency, and sustainability benefits. Previous research has extensively explored hardware-related challenges and software-related automation of a three Degrees of Freedom (DoF) gantry system printer. However, a 6 DoF robotic arm printer requires specific robot programming language and logic to ensure safe and efficient printing. To address this gap, this paper streamlines a software workflow, spanning from modeling to code generation for printing, avoiding interoperability issues. The comparative analysis showed that the novel automated workflow seamlessly integrates the modeling phase with toolpath planning and code generation, eliminating the need for multiple software tools and disparate file formats. The proposed unified workflow not only streamlines the construction process but also opens avenues for unprecedented design flexibility that can propel 3DCP technology to new levels.