[ By WebUrbanist in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]
A prominent architectural firm has teamed up with an established concrete manufacturer and a university to develop a commercially-viable robotic concrete printer capable of precisely producing complex three-dimensional forms. The group aims to bridge the gap between what can be modeled via 3D rendering software and what can be manufactured in reality.
(Norman) Foster + Partners are working with Skanska and Loughborough University as well as various industry contractors on this 3D-printing project. Their primary joint goal is reduce the time (from weeks to hours) and increase the options available for the on-site deployment of concrete, creating new possibilities for one of planet’s most ubiquitously-used building materials.
Essentially, a computer-controlled robotic arm lays down layers of concrete, each building on the previous according to a programmed sequence. A highly-controlled extrusion of cement-based mortar, precisely positioned according to computer data and obviating the need for solid material inputs.
Currently, a phase two prototype has already been built and the team is working on a newer and more-mobile version able to create high-complexity shapes on building sites.
The results so far are promising: structurally-robust forms that would be difficult if even possible to create via conventional concrete construction techniques of either cast-in-place or precast varieties.
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[ By WebUrbanist in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]
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