Non-Planar 3D Printing of Clay Columns (2024-09)¶

The contemporary landscape of construction 3D printing of materials like clay or concrete mainly relies on planar slicing, which, regrettably, impose constraints on the realization of overhangs and cantilevered structures, thereby limiting architectural design flexibility and posing issues in fabricating intricate structures. In response to this challenge, we investigate the integration of non-planar slicing in the construction printing of structures featuring substantial overhangs. We present a novel approach to crafting print paths strategically, fragmenting the global overhang into discrete local segments. Additionally, we introduce self-balancing control to help the buildability within segments of the print path, elevating the stability of the freshly deposited concrete during the printing process. Our methodology redistributes a portion of the bending forces into tension forces oriented along the print path, thereby augmenting the structural integrity and buildability of intricate structures with overhangs and vaults. The efficacy of our method is demonstrated through a computational parametric model and a physical prototype. A comprehensive comparative analysis is conducted against conventional planar printing methods, encompassing metrics such as geometric accuracy, buildability, material efficiency, and print time.