Timber is increasingly considered as an alternative to other structural mate-rials, such as steel and concrete, allowing to reduce the environmental im-pact of the construction industry. However, it often becomes waste at the end of its service life because it is challenging to recover from buildings due to the use of non-reversible connection systems. Friction-based form-fit as-semblies, such as wood-wood joints, offer a potential solution for creating reversible assemblies of structural members. Non-sequential assemblies, a novel type of joint within this category, are primarily locked by their kine-matics and require much less friction for their stability than sequential as-semblies. However, manual assembly of such joints is challenging due to the necessity of moving elements with high precision, particularly when size and weight of elements increase. Multi-robot assembly processes provide a solu-tion to this challenge by enabling non-sequential assembly of multiple ele-ments through synchronized motion. This paper presents an integrated de-sign and fabrication workflow for the design and (dis-)assembly of non-sequential timber structures using two synchronized industrial robot arms. This includes the generation of the joints according to structural infor-mation, their detailing, the definition of feasible assembly sequences, the generation of the robotic instructions and the execution of synchronized as-sembly using two small-scale robot arms. A case-study of the design and fab-rication of a 1:1 scale triangulated frame structure is presented. The aim is to demonstrate the feasibility of synchronous (dis-)assembly using multiple ro-bots and highlight the potential of non-sequential assemblies for reversible structural systems in architecture.
Authors: A. Rossi, R. Mesnil, J. Glath, M. Tissot, M. Sanquer, H. Kim, O. Baverel, P. Eversmann
Recent research approaches try to expand the scope of application of timber construction elements. Possibilities to reduce the material consumption and raise the automatization level are also gaining interest to an increasing degree. Segmented sections with wood connectors are predestined for this challenge because of their modular character. Analytical, numerical and experimental investigations are conducted to assess the effects of different geometrical and material parameters. The results provide a strong basis to understand and improve the effectiveness of these sections.
Authors: Brieden M., Braun M., Seim W., Schramm K., Eversmann P.
Additive manufacturing (AM), as resource-efficient fabrication processes, could also be used in the dimensions of the construction industry, as a variety of experimental projects using concrete and steel demonstrate. In timber construction, currently few additive technologies have been developed having the potential to be used in large scale. Currently known AM processes use wood in pulverized form, losing its inherent structural and mechanical properties. This research proposes a new material that maintains a complete wood structure with continuous and strong fibers, and that can be fabricated from fast-growing locally harvested plants. We describe the material technology to create a solid and continuous filament made of willow twigs and investigate binding and robotic AM methods for flat, curved, lamination, and hollow layering geometric typologies. The resulting willow filament and composite material are characterized for structural capacity and fabrication constraints. We discuss our technology in comparison with veneer-based lamination, existing wood filament printing, and fiber-based AM in terms of fabrication, material capacity, and sustainability. We conclude by showing possible applications in the construction industry and future research possibilities.
Authors: Eversmann, P.; Ochs, J.; Heise, J.; Akbar, Z.; Böhm, S.
Journal: 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing
Architectures of Weaving bridges architecture and textile by exploring fiber architectures from the micro scale of biological systems to the macro scale of textile and built structures. Selected case studies, essays, and interviews reflect on cultural practices and materials research through the lens of textile thinking. In the quest for sustainable and resilient approaches that meet the challenges of our time, the book presents fascinating approaches heralding a paradigm shift by working with fibrous materiality: structures become flexible and adaptive, they interact with their environment. As a source of inspiration, the book assembles exceptional contributions from the fields of architecture, art, material science, cultural history, design, engineering, mathematics, microbiology, and textile technology.
ISBN: 978-3-86859-739-4
Authors: Eversmann, P.
Editor: Sauer, Christiane; Stoll, Mareike; Fransén Waldhör, Ebba ; Schneider, Maxie
Office and retail interior fittings have a relatively short service life of 5-7 years. In this context, composite materials are often used, hindering possibilities of reuse or recycling. This research explores novel bio-composite materials and subsequently a construction method for CO2-neutral, circular interior fittings for office spaces. Based on the potential of fungal mycelium as a rapidly renewable, regenerative, affordable, low-carbon building material, bio-composite construction methods are explored in conjunction with timber-based additive manufacturing using continuous fibres. As mycelium has potentially excellent sound-absorbing properties but low load-bearing capacity, composite construction of timber veneer and mycelium allows to increase the structural capabilities of resulting components, while relying entirely on bio-based value chains. We describe the production process as well as the material development, including robotically aided processes for additive manufacturing of veneer reinforcement grids and compatibility studies of different mycelial species and substrates, and their bonding capabilities with veneer. We further present initial results on the mechanical characterization of the composite material, and its comparison to conventional mycelium composites. Minimal structural, acoustic, and functional requirements for different interior fitting elements are studied and compared to the characteristics of the proposed composite, highlighting the range of applications of the presented wood-mycelium composites.
Rossi, A.; Özdemir, E.; Eversmann, P.; Nolte, N.
Robot Components is a plugin for intuitive robot programming for ABB robots inside of Rhinoceros Grasshopper. Robot Components offers a wide set of tools to create toolpaths, simulate robotic motion and generate RAPID code within Grasshopper.
Authors: Eversmann, P.; Deetman, A.; Akbar, Z.; Rossi, A.; Rumpf, G.; Wannemacher, B.; Dawod, M.
URN / URL: https://robotcomponents.github.io/RobotComponents-Documentation/
Winding processes are known from the fiber composite industry for strength and weight optimized lightweight components. To achieve high resistance and low weight, mainly synthetic materials are used such as carbon or glass fibers, bonded with petrochemical matrices. For the construction industry, these additive processes present a very promising and resource-efficient building technology, yet they are still hardly used with sustainable materials such as natural fibers or timber.
The 3DWoodWind research prototype has developed a new generation of additive technologies to wood construction. The modular building system is built with a three-dimensional robotic winding process for material-efficient hollow lightweight components. An AI-controlled design logic enables the intelligent combination and design of modular components into multi-story structures, which may be used in the future to substitute solid wood panels and beams as well as concrete slabs and steel sections.
Our current research uses a continuous strip of thin timber veneer, which is a waste product from the plywood industry and therefore, presents a highly sustainable alternative to synthetic fibers usually used in winding, as well as solid timber products known in construction. The veneer’s natural fibers are intact and continuous, and offer high tensile strength. In the presented project, three-dimensional winding processes were developed for material-efficient lightweight components made of wood. The demonstrator presents a modular column and ceiling system, which aims at large scale applications in multi-level structures. Having won an open national design competition for Germany’s ‘ZukunftBau’ Pavilion, a first demonstrator is currently being built to be presented in May 2022, as part of the DigitalBau exhibition. The paper discusses all planning engineering and production processes in detail with particular emphasis on the machine-learning algorithm, which was trained during the design process to facilitate design iterations and future planning with this component-based building system.
ISBN: 978-3-031-13249-0
Authors: Margariti, G.; Göbert, A.; Ochs, J.; Eversmann, P.; Lienhard, J.
Editor: Gengnagel, C., Baverel, O., Betti, G., Popescu, M., Thomsen, M.R., Wurm, J.
The demand for building materials has been constantly increasing, which leads to excessive energy consumption for their provision. The looming environmental consequences have triggered the search for sustainable alternatives. Mycelium, as a rapidly renewable, low-carbon natural material that can withstand compressive forces and has inherent acoustic and fire-resistance properties, could be a potential solution to this problem. However, due to its low tensile, flexural and shear strength, mycelium is not currently widely used commercially in the construction industry. Therefore, this research focuses on improving the structural performance of mycelium composites for interior use through custom robotic additive manufacturing processes that integrate continuous wood fibers into the mycelial matrix as reinforcement. This creates a novel, 100% bio-based, wood-veneer-reinforced mycelium composite. As base materials, Ganoderma lucidum and hemp hurds for mycelium growth and maple veneer for reinforcement were pre-selected for this study. Compression, pull-out, and three-point bending tests comparing the unreinforced samples to the veneer-reinforced samples were performed, revealing improvements on the bending resistance of the reinforced samples. Additionally, the tensile strength of the reinforcement joints was examined and proved to be stronger than the material itself. The paper presents preliminary experiment results showing the effect of veneer reinforcements on increasing bending resistance, discusses the potential benefits of combining wood veneer and mycelium’s distinct material properties, and highlights methods for the design and production of architectural components.
Authors: Özdemir, E.; Saeidi, N.; Javadian, A.; Rossi, A.; Nolte, N.; Ren, S.; Dwan, A.; Acosta, I.; Hebel, D.; Wurm, J.; Eversmann, P.
Authors: Ochs, J.; Akbar, Z.; Eversmann, P.
Editor: Maciel, Abel;
Book title: Design Computation Input/Output 2020
ISBN: 9781838129408
The ease of access to sophisticated computational technologies normally used for engineering purposes have thoroughly transformed the way architects can design and generate structures. In a first step of digitalization, traditional timber joining methods have been adapted for CNC-fabrication and manual assembly, enabling intricate joinery methods. The next step integrates the digital workflow to the extent of a fully automated assembly using robotic building processes. The potential of these processes calls for a rethinking of traditional connection geometry and requires the creation of specifically adapted joints to accommodate the constraints and precision of kinematic movement. This article gives an overview of recent developments in joining techniques for robotic assembly and investigates two prototypical timber structures, which were constructed in the framework of the NCCR Digital Fabrication at the ETH Zurich. The first structure consists of connections of multiple members with complex intersection geometries, which were joined through an ultrafast-curing resin. The second prototype consists of a double-story timber structure of more than 4,000 individual members with singular face to face connections with a maximum of two members, connected by carbon steel screws. The results are compared in terms of the relationship between computational form finding, joint geometry, connection system, robotic fabrication process, and structural stability. We discuss applications in the building industry, spatial potentials, structural challenges, and fabrication developments and conclude by showing the potential development in future research.
Authors: Eversmann, P.
Editor: Hudert, Markus; Pfeiffer, Sven
Book title: Rethinking Wood: Future Dimensions of Timber Assembly
ISBN: 9783035616897
Advances in Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques have expanded the possibilities to fabricate unique shapes, offering various advantages over traditional manufacturing techniques concerning material efficiency, product customisation and process control. AM using organic materials such as wood has been introduced by the combination with polymers to produce 3D printing filaments. These filaments use groundwood and therefore eliminate long fibres of naturally grown timber, losing its inherent material qualities such as anisotropy and structural performance. This research investigates strategies for a novel AM process using continuous solid wood to fabricate high-resolution material-efficient timber structures based on topology optimization. We examined this novel AM process in three work packages: material production, robotic fibre placement process and a design method through topology optimisation. The developed robotic fabrication process enables the deployment and extrusion of a novel material: a continuous solid wood filament made of willow withies. This process allows for a high degree of geometric freedom to assemble timber to create homogeneous structures at high resolution, providing the aesthetics and structural advantages of wood on a micro-scale and therefore giving entirely new possibilities for timber construction.
Dawod, M.; Deetman, A.; Akbar, Z.; Heise, J.; Böhm, S.; Klussmann, H.; Eversmann, P.
ISBN: 978-3-030-29828-9