“Robotic Toolbox” Helps Bring 3D Printing to Construction Sites
Emily Pollock posted on November 09, 2018 |
A “steel spider” connector, one of the first prototypes made with a portable 3D printing robotics set. (Image courtesy of Autodesk.)
Autodesk has been championing the convergence of construction and manufacturing, and the amount that these two industries have to learn from each other. For this year’s Autodesk University, they’ve put their money where their mouth is, and have partnered with construction and engineering company Dura Vermeer to create a transportable robotic “toolbox” to 3D print steel components right on construction sites.
The setup consists of two robots capable of 3D-printing metal components, and a shipping container for easy transportation to the jobsite. In its release on the matter, Autodesk calls it “a large-scale additive manufacturing “toolbox” for the construction industry.”
Autodesk reached out to Dura Vermeer to ask what they might use the new “toolbox” for on their construction sites, and the company came up with three possibilities.
First of all, attaching a glass curtain wall with a building structure requires very careful placement, which is difficult with standardized parts. With the toolbox, Dura Vermeer could potentially design an optimized part using generative design-based software, and then print it right on the site.
Another building challenge is the need to use multiple standard components to…