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Robotic prefabrication of timber structures: towards automated large-scale spatial assembly

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Abstract

Despite modern timber construction being on the forefront of digital technology in construction, subtractive CNC—fabrication technologies are still predominantly used in the industry. An important break in the digital chain occurs when prefabricated small building parts have to be assembled manually into functional modules. This can result in a loss of digital information in the process. Therefore, a robotic setup for timber construction was specifically developed by the authors enabling large-scale spatial fabrication possibilities using a combination of subtractive external tools for cutting and drilling and additive robotic operations. Through automatization techniques and innovative feedback processes, the system can minimize material waste by reacting to different material sizes even during the construction process. In a case study, which was undertaken in the course of the Master of Advanced Studies program in Digital Fabrication at ETH Zurich, a complete digital workflow using additive robotic fabrication processes in timber construction was realized. We demonstrate the conception of the worldwide first double-story robotically assembled timber structure, explain its fabrication processes including an integrated envelope, and conclude by analyzing the robotic fabrication technologies in terms of their efficiency and structural and functional capabilities and limits.

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Notes

  1. Global precision refers to an industrial robots capability and precision of reaching coordinates and orientations in his workspace (\(<1\) mm).

  2. Centre for Information Technology and Architecture, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.

  3. Master of Advanced Studies in Architecture and Digital Fabrication of the NCCR Digital Fabrication at ETH Zurich.

  4. ABB IRB 4600, reach: 2.55 m, payload: 40 kg.

  5. ABB IRBT 2005.

  6. Schunk PEH 30.

  7. Beckhoff EK9300 PROFINET-IO-Buskoppler for EtherCAT.

  8. ABB controller specific programming environment in Rapid language.

  9. Self-weight, Safety Factor SF: 1.35; Live loads: 2 kN/m\(^2\) (SF: 1.5); Snow: 1 kN/m\(^2\) (SF: 1.35) Wind: 1 kN/m\(^2\) (SF: 1,5).

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Acknowledgements

The case study project was realized in the framework of a Master of Advanced Studies class on digital fabrication with the students Jay Chenault, Alessandro Dell’Endice, Matthias Helmreich, Nicholas Hoban, Jesús Medina, Pietro Odaglia, Federico Salvalaio, and Stavroula Tsafou. This study was supported by the NCCR Digital Fabrication, Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation SNSF. (Agreement # 51NF40-141853), and builds directly on research findings and developments from the NRP-66/ SNSF research project “Additive Robotic Fabrication of Complex Timber Structures”, established in collaboration between ETH Zurich, Bern University of Applied Science and Nolax AG. We would like to thank the companies Schilliger Holz AG, Rothoblaas, Krinner Ag, ABB, and BAWO Befestigungstechnik AG for their generous support. We would also like to thank P. Fleischmann and M. Lyrenmann for their advice and continuous efforts for the robotic setup and V. Helm and E. Schling for reviewing this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Eversmann Studio, Ohmstr.13, 80802, Munich, Germany

    Philipp Eversmann

  2. Gramazio Kohler Research, Professur für Architektur und Digitale Fabrikation, ETH Zürich HIB E 43, Stefano-Franscini-Platz 1, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland

    Fabio Gramazio & Matthias Kohler

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  1. Philipp Eversmann
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  2. Fabio Gramazio
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  3. Matthias Kohler
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Correspondence to Philipp Eversmann.

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Eversmann, P., Gramazio, F. & Kohler, M. Robotic prefabrication of timber structures: towards automated large-scale spatial assembly. Constr Robot 1, 49–60 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41693-017-0006-2

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