Construction 3D printing specialist COBOD International has developed what it refers to as the “first commercially available multifunctional construction robot”. Engineered in cooperation with Technical University of Braunschweig’s Institute for Structural Design (ITE), the robotic system is capable of both depositing layers of concrete in-situ using COBOD’s gantry-based system and Shotcrete 3D printing thanks to the integration of a telescopic unit with robotic arm. This added functionality facilitates the printing of more complex structures, including those with overhangs, like tunnels, as well as to print retaining walls and to reinforce concrete.
The multifunctional system is based on COBOD’s BOD2 3D printer and integrates a vertical telescopic unit that it mounted on the gantry configuration between two X axes. As we said, this telescopic extension can be fitted with a Shotcrete tool, which sprays concrete material using a high-pressure system, but can also be fitted with other types of tools for a wide range of functionalities, including spray painting, insulation application, sanding and more. Other possible functionalities include mounting a gripper to install aerated concrete blocks, bricks and other pre-fab building materials. The telescopic unit reportedly has a vertical range of three meters and can more freely to cover a large area.
Manufacturing on Demand
The construction 3D printing solution was recently unveiled at the opening of the Digital Construction Site at TU Braunschweig, where a variety of guests were able to see the technology first hand. Henrik Lund-Nielsen, GM and Founder of COBOD International, said at the event: “For years we have had the vision of making multifunctional construction robots on the basis of our 3D construction printers. Seeing the first materialization of our vision here makes me very proud. With this new technology we offer automation of many more construction processes than just printing of concrete walls. With our new COBOD robotic arm at the end of the telescopic arm there is an endless amount of construction tasks that our printing system can now automate and expedite to the benefit of our global customers.”
TU Braunschweig’s Digital Construction Site is interested in exploring how digital manufacturing processes can transform planning and building on real construction projects. The initiative, which brings together teams from the the Institutes of Structural Design, Construction Engineering and Management, Geodesy and Photogrammetry and Building Materials, Concrete Construction and Fire Safety, sees automation as the key to making construction more efficient and affordable in the future. It is through this framework that the multifunctional BOD2 system with Shotcrete capability will be tested in real-world building projects.
“Our partnership with COBOD is a decisive step towards the digital construction site of the future,” added “3D printing enables automated, digitally controlled processes of simple as well as very complex tasks, like the fabrication of reinforced double curved walls. The ability to make complex, individualized, material efficient and low waste construction solutions makes 3D printing ideal for the construction industry, as it brings together economic, environmental and social aspects, such as the reduction of physical stress.”
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Author: Tess Boissonneault
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