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35th
International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
Integrating parametric design with robotic additive
manufacturing for 3D clay printing: An experimental study
O. Kontovourkisa
and G. Tryfonos
a
Department of Architecture, University of Cyprus, Cyprus
E-mail: konotovourkis.odysseas@ucy.ac.cy, at07tg2@ucy.ac.cy
Abstract –
This paper presents an ongoing work in relation to
the development of a parametric design algorithm
and an automated system for additive manufacturing
that aims to be implemented in 3D clay printing tasks.
The purpose of this experimental study is to establish
a first insight and provide information as well as
guidelines for a comprehensive and robust additive
manufacturing methodology that can be implemented
in the area of 3D clay printing, aiming to be widely
available and open for use in the relevant construction
industry. Specifically, this paper emphasizes on the
installation of an industrial extruder for 3D clay
printing mounted on a robot, on toolpath planning
process using a parametric design environment and
on robotic execution of selected case studies. Based on
existing 3D printing technology principles and on
available rapid prototyping mechanisms, this process
suggests an algorithm for system’s control as well as
for robotic toolpath development applied in additive
manufacturing of small to medium objects. The
algorithm is developed in a parametric associative
environment allowing its flexible use and execution in
a number of case studies, aiming to tentatively test the
effectiveness of the suggested robotic additive
manufacturing workflow and their future
implementation in large scale examples.
Keywords –
Parametric design; Robotic additive manufacturing;
Robotic control; Toolpath planning; 3D clay extruder
1 Introduction
The term Additive Manufacturing (AM), also
commonly known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, is
used to describe the process of material deposition in
layers, leading to solidified products. The technology of
AM has gained considerable attention the last few
decades and today has succeeded to be a rapidly growing
field worldwide with a number of technologies available
for public use. This direction of investigation has been
thoroughly explored and various methods have been
introduced and discussed [1]. To name a few, these
might include Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM),
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Inkjet Powder Printing,
etc. [2, 3]. A number of advantages have led the
manufacturing industry to introduce such technologies
into daily production, which include the freedom to
create any morphology without the application of molds
[1], the minimization of material waste, etc.
Today, we have reached a stage where AM
technologies are available for industrial and household
applications in reasonable prices or even are available for
reproduction through open source platforms and
mechanisms [4]. Nevertheless, any selection of specific
technology and its application contains particular
limitations and constrains. These might include
limitations in regard to the size of working area, leading
to print results in small scales, constrains in regard to the
type of material used, the type of mechanisms as well as
the methods applied.
When tasks refer to the 3D printing of small to
medium scale objects, these can be largely solved with
available industrial technology. However, an area that
faces limitations in large extend in terms of AM
implementation is the construction industry, where the
necessity for manufacturing building parts or even
complete structures in actual scale, demands more
thorough and comprehensive procedures that take into
account actual construction parameters. In addition, due
to the multiple and complex tasks involved during the
construction of a building, including the need for specific
technique and materials implementation [1], the
introduction of open source and custom platforms for
additive manufacturing is more than a necessity in order
to allow direct and flexible intervention of automated
mechanisms according to the large scale objective under
investigation.
Large scale AM and particularly its application in
construction industry is an area that is rapidly growing
with many examples attempting to introduce techniques
derived from 3D printing principles for the production of
houses in full scale, for instance the 3D Print Canal
House in Netherlands [3]. Towards this direction several
attempts to provide such technologies have been
35th
International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
conducted, especially in the area of concrete printing.
Such works date back to the well-known Contour
Crafting (CC) technique [5] and later to the introduction
of other techniques, for instance D-Shape [6], Concrete
Printing [7], Additive manufacturing of concrete [8],
CONPrint3D [9], and so on. Although, similarities can be
found in the abovementioned technologies in regard to
their objectives, differences can also be observed, mostly
it terms of material deposition and control automation
processes. The techniques of Concrete Crafting and
Concrete Printing as well as similar directions of
investigation are based on the layer-by-layer deposition
of concrete materials with the application of gantry and
mounted nozzles [5, 8, 10], while technics like D-Shape
follow principals similar to the Inject Powder Printing [6].
Beyond the obvious opportunities that innovations in
large scale AM can bring to the construction industry,
numerous advantages might be offered, which include
reduction of construction cost and time, minimization of
errors during construction, etc. [11]. Also, might allow
issues related to the local and ecological aspect of
material use to come to the fore [12, 13, 14], an area that
lies within the broader field of sustainable construction,
currently under consideration. This direction, together
with the introduction of digital fabrication, for instance
3D printing in large scale, can reduce the environmental
impact of structures [15].
In addition, recent attempts towards the introduction
of advanced technology in Architecture, Engineering and
Construction (AEC) industry, for instance, the use of
digital design and modelling tools including Building
Information Modelling (BIM) and parametric associative
design or the application of robots and automation
mechanisms in fabrication process, open new
opportunities for integrating design to production
processes. This might allow a more thorough and
complete investigation, both in terms of the selected
designs to be realized due to the ability of BIM and
parametric tools to allow their real time control and
modification prior to their actual construction according
to a number of criteria (environmental performances,
constructability, etc.). Also, this might include a more
flexible and customized processes for controlling output
data for construction of non-standard morphologies and
later on their physical execution using automated and
robotic construction systems [16, 17, 18]. In addition,
advanced tools and mechanisms allow a more productive
and open source approaches [19], which can be
applicable to the construction industry, advantages that
are necessary to be acquired during an AM process in
actual scale.
However, in order to complete a fully operable
system for 3D printing, knowledge in regard to the
software and hardware installation are necessary, an area
that is not always accessible by the majority of architects
or constructors. In this paper, an attempt to overcome
such limitations is conducted by introducing a robotized
method for hardware installation and toolpath planning
process that can be easily available and can be adopted
by people involved in similar research directions. Further
prospects are, by using similar principles, to extend the
scale of additive construction, aiming at their
implementation in various scales with emphasis on large
scale manufacturing, an area that currently is in the
forefront of the research conducted in our laboratory for
sustainable robotic construction [12].
Within this framework, and by following similar
principals [16], this paper presents a methodology for
integrating parametric design and robotic additive
manufacturing, aiming to be applied in, both small/
medium and large scale 3D clay printing tasks [13, 14].
The process aspires to promote the sustainable aspect of
the material evolved but also to stress the advantages
carried out in the design and construction industry by
integrating parametric tools with automated construction
technics.
The structure of the paper is as follows; in the next
section the methodological framework is briefly
explained; then, analytical descriptions in regard to the
installation process of the industrial 3D clay extruder and
the robotic calibration are given; afterwards, the toolpath
planning development process, the robotic control and
finally the robotic execution are demonstrated by testing
a number of case studies; and finally, conclusion is drawn.
2 Methodological framework
As it has been mentioned, the aim of this ongoing
study is to develop a robust and reliable methodology that
will allow the integration of parametric design with
robotic additive manufacturing mechanisms for 3D clay
printing. This, in combination with the application of clay
material, which promotes the ecological aspect of the
suggested methodology, aspires to provide a sustainable
and custom/open source platform that can be applied in
different case studies. Such cases might include printable
objects range from small/medium to large ones, using
them as individual building elements in the construction
industry.
Analytically, the proposed methodological
framework considers all necessary actions required to
embed the selected automated mechanisms for 3D clay
printing in the overall automated construction system.
Also, is designed to include all necessary steps required
for a complete workflow procedure from design to
production with emphasis on toolpath planning process
and robotic control.
Initially, the installation of an industrial 3D clay
extruder, and specifically the Clay Kit with LDM Wasp
Extruder by WASP [20, 21] is embedded in the
35th
International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
construction system and particularly is mounded at the
end of an industrial robot ABB 600-20/1.65 with IRC5
controller. The industrial extruder consists of two main
parts, the clay pump that extrudes the material and the 3D
clay extruder that is responsible for the deposition of
material in layers. The installation of the mechanisms as
well as the robotic system calibration are necessary parts
for an accurate and effective 3D clay printing procedure.
This, in combination with the need for an inseparable
workflow that achieve the parametric development of the
objects to be built, the toolpath planning generation and
subsequently the robotic control for robotic execution,
consists all necessary steps towards a complete and
integrated methodology.
Figure 1. Methodological framework in the form
of diagram for the 3D clay extrusion system
development
In regard to the installation of the industrial 3D clay
extruder, a number of sub-components consisting the
overall system are studied and carefully mounted on the
robotic arm. These include the clay pump that is
responsible for continuous clay material feed to the clay
extruder (nozzle) and the 3D clay extruder with nozzle
that is responsible for extruding clay material and for
layer deposing according to predefined width and height.
As regards the toolpath planning process, similarities
with other conventional [22] or advanced parametric
tools and platforms [23] used for toolpath planning,
which are introduced in additive manufacturing can be
found. In this case, due to the parametric nature of the
customized/open source platform that is introduced, the
implementation is achieved in the parametric design
environment of Grasshopper software [24] (plug-in for
Rhino [25]). This enables the development of various
morphologies in digital form that can be easily modified
and parametrically control, offering large number of
design possibilities. After the digital geometry is
developed in the parametric environment, this is sliced
based on contour-layer development algorithm, leading
to the toolpath generation. Simultaneously, 3D print
parameters are embedded to the digital geometry related
to the width and height of each contour (filament) and
according to the clay material mixture applied. Then, the
HAL software [26], a robotic control plug-in for Rhino,
is used to produce all necessary data in RAPID code and
in turn to be executed by the ABB robotic arm. The
following sections describe, in detail, the main steps of
the suggested workflow procedure (Figure 1).
3 Installation of 3D extruder and robotic
system calibration
3.1 Overview of the automated construction
system
The robotic system consists of four main parts, where
its synchronization aims at creating a process that will
allow 3D clay printing of various complex and non-
standard shapes. The system consists of the following
parts:
1. The cylindrical tank for clay feed connected with
the industrial clay extruder.
2. The industrial clay extruder that consists of one
stepper driver that rotates an auger in the form of a
rotating helical screw inside a cylindrical chamber,
extruding the clay through 1mm nozzle.
3. The on-off switch and flow rate control board for
the industrial 3D extruder that is run through an
Arduino board, which controls a stepper motor
driver.
4. The industrial robotic arm ABB 600-20/1.65 with
IRC5 controller.
As it has been mentioned, the automated system is run in
the parametric environment of Grasshopper in
conjunction with HAL, which allows parallel control of
robotic arm movement and activation of the industrial 3D
clay extruder. As a result, clay is fed to the extruder at the
edge of the robotic arm through the provided clay tank.
Important aspect towards a seamless printing process is
the accurate/functional design and programming of the
automated clay printing control system.
35th
International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
3.2 Design and installation of 3D clay extruder
system
Initially, an acrylic base functioning as the supportive
system of the industrial 3D extruder is designed,
fabricated and finally mounted at the end of the robotic
arm. The suggested design solution allows undisturbed
ventilation of the stepper motor, easy connection with the
industrial clay extruder system, and simple assembly and
disassembly of the mechanism for maintenance purposes.
The acrylic base is attached to the robotic arm through a
supportive steel blade with four screws, which also
encloses the industrial 3D extruder fixed with two screws.
Figure 2 shows the tool adjusted on the robot.
Figure 2. The industrial extruder with the
supportive system mounded on the robotic arm
In order to feed with material the extruder at the end
of the robotic arm, the cylindrical tank is filled with clay
that is provided by the manufacturer [27]. By pushing air
pressure into the tank, the piston is activated and pours
the clay that is inside. The clay is passed to the cylindrical
chamber of the industrial 3D extruder through a plastic
pipe. In order to activate the industrial 3D clay extruder
through its stepper motor, a stepper controller is used for
rotation movement. The programming of stepper
controller (CNC Single Axis 4A TB6600 2/4 Phase
Hybrid Stepper Motor Drivers Controller) is achieved in
Arduino environment using an Arduino UNO board. The
programming allows pulse rate control in order to adjust
the rotational direction and speed of the stepper motor.
For powering the Arduino UNO board and the stepper
driver, an external power supply is used. With the use of
a Siple Pole Double Throw Toggle Switch (SPDT), it is
possible to activate the Arduino UNO directly from the
power supply or through a relay connected to the power
supply and controlled by the IRC5 robotic controller. The
use of switch allows manual preparation of the system for
printing and automatic control through the control of
robotic arm. Finally, the board for system’s control is
placed on the robotic arm (Figure 3).
Figure 3. The 3D clay printing control system
mounted on the industrial robot
3.3 Robotic system calibration
In order to achieve accurate and automated 3D clay
printing process, the control of material flow from the
pneumatic piston to the nozzle is important to be
examined. The Arduino UNO board is programmed to
control the rotation of the stepper motor at a constant and
continuous rotational speed, which achieve the
movement of clay material into the chamber and then its
exit from the nozzle. As it has been mentioned, the
Arduino board is powered by an external electrical source
that is connected to a relay on the robotic arm controller.
By activating the relay, the Arduino operates and controls
the flow of clay. When the relay is switched off, the clay
funneling stops. The on/off control of relay occurs in real
time using the HAL plug-in. The activation or
deactivation of nozzle funneling is based on the
generated toolpath that is derived according to the digital
shape under investigation.
A significant aspect in the printing process is the
35th
International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
calibration of the robotic arm movement with the clay
extrusion speed. This is done by observing the results
derived from initial case studies, where several changes
in robotic movement speed occurred. During the case
studies execution, the robotic movement is controlled
using the Teach Pendant, allowing determination of its
right speed. Figure 4 shows results of calibration: under
extrusion print (A) using 15 mm/s speed; over extrusion
print (B) with TCP velocity of 5mm/s, and calibrated
extrusion print (C) with a robotic movement speed of 9
mm/s.
Figure 4. Results of 3D printing speed calibration.
A. Under extrusion speed, B. Over extrusion
speed, C. Calibrated extrusion speed
Finally, for the correct deposition of material on the
base of working area, the height calibration of the nozzle
in relation to the base is required. This is done by placing
the nozzle perpendicularly to the corner of the base with
an approximate distance of 0-0.2mm. For the correct
positioning of nozzle, this is repeated three times, as
many as the rest of base’s corners. Using the HAL plug-
in, the point of nozzle placement is recorder, updating the
point in the parametric environment and then associating
this with the base. In addition, for the right deposition of
material, two initial layers of the geometry are added to
the base with 5mm offset from the perimeter in
accordance with the first layer of the shape. The form is
printed on a solid layer, providing results of uniform clay
layers.
4 Toolpath planning, robotic control and
execution
4.1 Parametric design and control
In a 3D printing process, important parameters
determining the end result are the layer height that
defines the distance between the sections in the contour
process, the line width that is influenced by the filament
width of the extruded materials and the wall thickness
that determines the number of polylines per layer,
calculated based on the width of extruded materials.
These parameters are introduced into the Grasshopper
parametric environment in order to identify the robotic
toolpath.
Figure 5. Flowchart of the contour geometrical
configuration algorithm
The purpose of the parametric algorithm is to receive
and process any digital geometry (BREP), by converting
this into mesh object. Then, it generates contour layers in
the form of consecutive polylines. The users can
determine the print precision by varying the layer height
up to 2mm. In this phase of experimentation and for case
study purposes, the layers are defined with a height of up
to 1mm. Subsequently, the sequential sections of layers
are offset with inward direction and with value 0.5mm
that is determined by the line width, which represents the
filament of the extruder material (in this case 1mm/0.5).
Moreover, the wall thickness is defined by the user, by
specifying an integer number of required offsets in order
35th
International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
for the extruder to print the expected width. The integer
number is described by the roundness reduction of the
thickness/line width relationship and also it calculates the
group of polyline assigned in every layer height. Finally,
polylines are divided into successive points, which create
the toolpath of the robotic arm (Figure 5).
4.2 Toolpath planning
The development of toolpath for robotic motion
behavior is based on the successive points of contour
polylines generated in the parametric environment. Also,
in the same algorithm the digital output (DO) activation
control connected to the relay is used to activate the
Arduino board, resulting in the rotation of stepper motor,
and hence in the extrusion of clay material.
Figure 6 Flowchart of the toolpath development
process
The robotic movement commences at the starting
point of toolpath that is assigned outside the geometry at
the corner of the base, and at the same time the clay
extruder is actuated. Then, the deposition of filaments on
the two thick layers of material on the base are executed.
This process is based on the geometry of the initial
contour layer (polyline), whereas the contour is offset
5mm and it is filled with radial lines from the center of
the polygon in outwards direction. After the two layers
on the base of the object are generated, the process of
toolpath development is taken place.
The toolpath development process (for material
extrusion) is based on the point-to-point motion driven
by each contour layer, geometrically defined as polyline.
The algorithm compares the distance between previous
polyline’s end point and next polyline’s start point. If the
line being created does not belong to the previous
polyline, then the extruder is deactivated. In off state, the
nozzle is disabled and is raised 2mm from the printed
layer (from previous polyline’s end point to the next
polyline’s start point) at a height of 2mm.
Figure 7. Toolpath development results. Blue
colour shows the DO activation and red colour
shows the DO deactivation
Subsequently, the nozzle approaches the next
polyline’s start point and the clay extrusion is activated.
By turning off the nozzle at a height of 2mm ensures that
the object is properly printed, as the movement of the
nozzle does not touch or collide with the printed structure
or does not deposit material in undesirable areas of the
geometry. Finally, the toolpath development process is
repeated in each sequential group of polylines for each
contour layer in order to develop the overall toolpath.
This is sent to the robotic controller for printing
35th
International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
execution. Figure 6 shows the flowchart that describes
the toolpath development process and figure 7 the
toolpath generation in the parametric environment.
Several case studies have been conducted, as shown in
figure 8, in order to investigate results and draw useful
conclusion for evolving printing process and for
improving the functionality of the integrated platform.
In the first case study, a compact geometry is used to
investigate the toolpath for clay extrusion. In this case,
clay material waste is observed because there is no
interruption and removal as well as deactivation of the
extrusion process. Also, the layer height range is
investigated, resulting in 1mm being the ideal one. Figure
8 (A) shows the second case study, where the appropriate
layer height is defined and the speed of the robotic arm
relative to the extrusion speed is investigated. In this case,
as mentioned above, the speed of the robotic machine
(TCP velocity), relative to the rotation of the stepper
motor, is set at 9 mm/s. Finally, in the third case study
(Figure 8B) a more complex form that consist of
openings is tested, and specifically the ability of the
methodology applied to automatically activate/deactivate
and remove the nozzle in cases of open hole patterns is
explored. Also, results in terms of the quality of printing
(smooth surface resolution, etc.) are derived, which are
influenced from the layer width and height.
Although, the experimental case studies introduced
in this paper are in small scale, our attempt is to apply the
suggested methodology in medium scale printing, but
most importantly, in large scale tasks that can be revealed
in construction industry. An experimentation in all scale
levels with the parallel examination of appropriate clay
material mixtures [27] will allow thorough and
comprehensive results to be derived, evaluating in
parallel the feasibility of the suggested platform to be
introduced in construction industry in a future stage.
5 Conclusion
Currently, there is a tendency towards parametric
design incorporated within platforms for performance
evaluation of buildings, offering opportunities for design
optimization and selection of the best results that can be
realized in actual scale. Also, there is an increased
interest among educational establishments towards
automated construction processes, mainly by using
industrial robotic arms for the manufacturing of complex
and non-standard morphologies. However, little work
has been observed in regard to the coherent and robust
integration of such advanced digital design tools with
automated construction processes. In this paper, the
methodological framework and the initial results of
experimentation in regard to the integration of a
parametric design environment with a robotic additive
process is presented. The aim is to develop an open
source/customized platform that offers an alternative and
ease solution for 3D clay printing in robotic construction
tasks.
The methodological framework includes all
important steps for a complete and effective integration
that can achieve a smooth and seamless workflow from
digital parametric design investigation to robotic
production. The main pillars of this investigation include;
the installation of industrial 3D clay extruder and robotic
system calibration; the toolpath planning and the robotic
control process, incorporated into the parametric
environment; and finally the robotic execution, initially
through small scale 3D clay printing studies. Within this
framework, results in term of automated construction
system calibration including extruder’s stepper motor
and robotic speed are obtained. Also, results in terms of
toolpath planning process including layers’ width and
height of filament are obtained, offering all necessary
data required for robotic execution in actual scale.
Figure 8. Two case study experiments using the
3D cay extruder mounted on the robot
In conclusion, this investigation has demonstrated a
first attempt to integrate design and manufacturing tools
within an open source platform. This allows an ease and
effective development of robotic-driven automated
system for 3D clay printing that can be potentially
available for further implementation and use. Although,
the first results are quite promising, further studies are
required in order to test the feasibility of suggested
methodology, together with a more thorough
35th
International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
examination in regard to the use of clay mixtures and
their application in different scales. Simultaneously,
further studies in robotic AM need to move beyond
experimental stage towards application in real
construction scenarios taking into consideration
sustainability criteria.
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Integrating parametric design with robotic additive manufacturing for 3D clay printing

  • 1. 35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018) Integrating parametric design with robotic additive manufacturing for 3D clay printing: An experimental study O. Kontovourkisa and G. Tryfonos a Department of Architecture, University of Cyprus, Cyprus E-mail: konotovourkis.odysseas@ucy.ac.cy, at07tg2@ucy.ac.cy Abstract – This paper presents an ongoing work in relation to the development of a parametric design algorithm and an automated system for additive manufacturing that aims to be implemented in 3D clay printing tasks. The purpose of this experimental study is to establish a first insight and provide information as well as guidelines for a comprehensive and robust additive manufacturing methodology that can be implemented in the area of 3D clay printing, aiming to be widely available and open for use in the relevant construction industry. Specifically, this paper emphasizes on the installation of an industrial extruder for 3D clay printing mounted on a robot, on toolpath planning process using a parametric design environment and on robotic execution of selected case studies. Based on existing 3D printing technology principles and on available rapid prototyping mechanisms, this process suggests an algorithm for system’s control as well as for robotic toolpath development applied in additive manufacturing of small to medium objects. The algorithm is developed in a parametric associative environment allowing its flexible use and execution in a number of case studies, aiming to tentatively test the effectiveness of the suggested robotic additive manufacturing workflow and their future implementation in large scale examples. Keywords – Parametric design; Robotic additive manufacturing; Robotic control; Toolpath planning; 3D clay extruder 1 Introduction The term Additive Manufacturing (AM), also commonly known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, is used to describe the process of material deposition in layers, leading to solidified products. The technology of AM has gained considerable attention the last few decades and today has succeeded to be a rapidly growing field worldwide with a number of technologies available for public use. This direction of investigation has been thoroughly explored and various methods have been introduced and discussed [1]. To name a few, these might include Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Inkjet Powder Printing, etc. [2, 3]. A number of advantages have led the manufacturing industry to introduce such technologies into daily production, which include the freedom to create any morphology without the application of molds [1], the minimization of material waste, etc. Today, we have reached a stage where AM technologies are available for industrial and household applications in reasonable prices or even are available for reproduction through open source platforms and mechanisms [4]. Nevertheless, any selection of specific technology and its application contains particular limitations and constrains. These might include limitations in regard to the size of working area, leading to print results in small scales, constrains in regard to the type of material used, the type of mechanisms as well as the methods applied. When tasks refer to the 3D printing of small to medium scale objects, these can be largely solved with available industrial technology. However, an area that faces limitations in large extend in terms of AM implementation is the construction industry, where the necessity for manufacturing building parts or even complete structures in actual scale, demands more thorough and comprehensive procedures that take into account actual construction parameters. In addition, due to the multiple and complex tasks involved during the construction of a building, including the need for specific technique and materials implementation [1], the introduction of open source and custom platforms for additive manufacturing is more than a necessity in order to allow direct and flexible intervention of automated mechanisms according to the large scale objective under investigation. Large scale AM and particularly its application in construction industry is an area that is rapidly growing with many examples attempting to introduce techniques derived from 3D printing principles for the production of houses in full scale, for instance the 3D Print Canal House in Netherlands [3]. Towards this direction several attempts to provide such technologies have been
  • 2. 35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018) conducted, especially in the area of concrete printing. Such works date back to the well-known Contour Crafting (CC) technique [5] and later to the introduction of other techniques, for instance D-Shape [6], Concrete Printing [7], Additive manufacturing of concrete [8], CONPrint3D [9], and so on. Although, similarities can be found in the abovementioned technologies in regard to their objectives, differences can also be observed, mostly it terms of material deposition and control automation processes. The techniques of Concrete Crafting and Concrete Printing as well as similar directions of investigation are based on the layer-by-layer deposition of concrete materials with the application of gantry and mounted nozzles [5, 8, 10], while technics like D-Shape follow principals similar to the Inject Powder Printing [6]. Beyond the obvious opportunities that innovations in large scale AM can bring to the construction industry, numerous advantages might be offered, which include reduction of construction cost and time, minimization of errors during construction, etc. [11]. Also, might allow issues related to the local and ecological aspect of material use to come to the fore [12, 13, 14], an area that lies within the broader field of sustainable construction, currently under consideration. This direction, together with the introduction of digital fabrication, for instance 3D printing in large scale, can reduce the environmental impact of structures [15]. In addition, recent attempts towards the introduction of advanced technology in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, for instance, the use of digital design and modelling tools including Building Information Modelling (BIM) and parametric associative design or the application of robots and automation mechanisms in fabrication process, open new opportunities for integrating design to production processes. This might allow a more thorough and complete investigation, both in terms of the selected designs to be realized due to the ability of BIM and parametric tools to allow their real time control and modification prior to their actual construction according to a number of criteria (environmental performances, constructability, etc.). Also, this might include a more flexible and customized processes for controlling output data for construction of non-standard morphologies and later on their physical execution using automated and robotic construction systems [16, 17, 18]. In addition, advanced tools and mechanisms allow a more productive and open source approaches [19], which can be applicable to the construction industry, advantages that are necessary to be acquired during an AM process in actual scale. However, in order to complete a fully operable system for 3D printing, knowledge in regard to the software and hardware installation are necessary, an area that is not always accessible by the majority of architects or constructors. In this paper, an attempt to overcome such limitations is conducted by introducing a robotized method for hardware installation and toolpath planning process that can be easily available and can be adopted by people involved in similar research directions. Further prospects are, by using similar principles, to extend the scale of additive construction, aiming at their implementation in various scales with emphasis on large scale manufacturing, an area that currently is in the forefront of the research conducted in our laboratory for sustainable robotic construction [12]. Within this framework, and by following similar principals [16], this paper presents a methodology for integrating parametric design and robotic additive manufacturing, aiming to be applied in, both small/ medium and large scale 3D clay printing tasks [13, 14]. The process aspires to promote the sustainable aspect of the material evolved but also to stress the advantages carried out in the design and construction industry by integrating parametric tools with automated construction technics. The structure of the paper is as follows; in the next section the methodological framework is briefly explained; then, analytical descriptions in regard to the installation process of the industrial 3D clay extruder and the robotic calibration are given; afterwards, the toolpath planning development process, the robotic control and finally the robotic execution are demonstrated by testing a number of case studies; and finally, conclusion is drawn. 2 Methodological framework As it has been mentioned, the aim of this ongoing study is to develop a robust and reliable methodology that will allow the integration of parametric design with robotic additive manufacturing mechanisms for 3D clay printing. This, in combination with the application of clay material, which promotes the ecological aspect of the suggested methodology, aspires to provide a sustainable and custom/open source platform that can be applied in different case studies. Such cases might include printable objects range from small/medium to large ones, using them as individual building elements in the construction industry. Analytically, the proposed methodological framework considers all necessary actions required to embed the selected automated mechanisms for 3D clay printing in the overall automated construction system. Also, is designed to include all necessary steps required for a complete workflow procedure from design to production with emphasis on toolpath planning process and robotic control. Initially, the installation of an industrial 3D clay extruder, and specifically the Clay Kit with LDM Wasp Extruder by WASP [20, 21] is embedded in the
  • 3. 35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018) construction system and particularly is mounded at the end of an industrial robot ABB 600-20/1.65 with IRC5 controller. The industrial extruder consists of two main parts, the clay pump that extrudes the material and the 3D clay extruder that is responsible for the deposition of material in layers. The installation of the mechanisms as well as the robotic system calibration are necessary parts for an accurate and effective 3D clay printing procedure. This, in combination with the need for an inseparable workflow that achieve the parametric development of the objects to be built, the toolpath planning generation and subsequently the robotic control for robotic execution, consists all necessary steps towards a complete and integrated methodology. Figure 1. Methodological framework in the form of diagram for the 3D clay extrusion system development In regard to the installation of the industrial 3D clay extruder, a number of sub-components consisting the overall system are studied and carefully mounted on the robotic arm. These include the clay pump that is responsible for continuous clay material feed to the clay extruder (nozzle) and the 3D clay extruder with nozzle that is responsible for extruding clay material and for layer deposing according to predefined width and height. As regards the toolpath planning process, similarities with other conventional [22] or advanced parametric tools and platforms [23] used for toolpath planning, which are introduced in additive manufacturing can be found. In this case, due to the parametric nature of the customized/open source platform that is introduced, the implementation is achieved in the parametric design environment of Grasshopper software [24] (plug-in for Rhino [25]). This enables the development of various morphologies in digital form that can be easily modified and parametrically control, offering large number of design possibilities. After the digital geometry is developed in the parametric environment, this is sliced based on contour-layer development algorithm, leading to the toolpath generation. Simultaneously, 3D print parameters are embedded to the digital geometry related to the width and height of each contour (filament) and according to the clay material mixture applied. Then, the HAL software [26], a robotic control plug-in for Rhino, is used to produce all necessary data in RAPID code and in turn to be executed by the ABB robotic arm. The following sections describe, in detail, the main steps of the suggested workflow procedure (Figure 1). 3 Installation of 3D extruder and robotic system calibration 3.1 Overview of the automated construction system The robotic system consists of four main parts, where its synchronization aims at creating a process that will allow 3D clay printing of various complex and non- standard shapes. The system consists of the following parts: 1. The cylindrical tank for clay feed connected with the industrial clay extruder. 2. The industrial clay extruder that consists of one stepper driver that rotates an auger in the form of a rotating helical screw inside a cylindrical chamber, extruding the clay through 1mm nozzle. 3. The on-off switch and flow rate control board for the industrial 3D extruder that is run through an Arduino board, which controls a stepper motor driver. 4. The industrial robotic arm ABB 600-20/1.65 with IRC5 controller. As it has been mentioned, the automated system is run in the parametric environment of Grasshopper in conjunction with HAL, which allows parallel control of robotic arm movement and activation of the industrial 3D clay extruder. As a result, clay is fed to the extruder at the edge of the robotic arm through the provided clay tank. Important aspect towards a seamless printing process is the accurate/functional design and programming of the automated clay printing control system.
  • 4. 35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018) 3.2 Design and installation of 3D clay extruder system Initially, an acrylic base functioning as the supportive system of the industrial 3D extruder is designed, fabricated and finally mounted at the end of the robotic arm. The suggested design solution allows undisturbed ventilation of the stepper motor, easy connection with the industrial clay extruder system, and simple assembly and disassembly of the mechanism for maintenance purposes. The acrylic base is attached to the robotic arm through a supportive steel blade with four screws, which also encloses the industrial 3D extruder fixed with two screws. Figure 2 shows the tool adjusted on the robot. Figure 2. The industrial extruder with the supportive system mounded on the robotic arm In order to feed with material the extruder at the end of the robotic arm, the cylindrical tank is filled with clay that is provided by the manufacturer [27]. By pushing air pressure into the tank, the piston is activated and pours the clay that is inside. The clay is passed to the cylindrical chamber of the industrial 3D extruder through a plastic pipe. In order to activate the industrial 3D clay extruder through its stepper motor, a stepper controller is used for rotation movement. The programming of stepper controller (CNC Single Axis 4A TB6600 2/4 Phase Hybrid Stepper Motor Drivers Controller) is achieved in Arduino environment using an Arduino UNO board. The programming allows pulse rate control in order to adjust the rotational direction and speed of the stepper motor. For powering the Arduino UNO board and the stepper driver, an external power supply is used. With the use of a Siple Pole Double Throw Toggle Switch (SPDT), it is possible to activate the Arduino UNO directly from the power supply or through a relay connected to the power supply and controlled by the IRC5 robotic controller. The use of switch allows manual preparation of the system for printing and automatic control through the control of robotic arm. Finally, the board for system’s control is placed on the robotic arm (Figure 3). Figure 3. The 3D clay printing control system mounted on the industrial robot 3.3 Robotic system calibration In order to achieve accurate and automated 3D clay printing process, the control of material flow from the pneumatic piston to the nozzle is important to be examined. The Arduino UNO board is programmed to control the rotation of the stepper motor at a constant and continuous rotational speed, which achieve the movement of clay material into the chamber and then its exit from the nozzle. As it has been mentioned, the Arduino board is powered by an external electrical source that is connected to a relay on the robotic arm controller. By activating the relay, the Arduino operates and controls the flow of clay. When the relay is switched off, the clay funneling stops. The on/off control of relay occurs in real time using the HAL plug-in. The activation or deactivation of nozzle funneling is based on the generated toolpath that is derived according to the digital shape under investigation. A significant aspect in the printing process is the
  • 5. 35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018) calibration of the robotic arm movement with the clay extrusion speed. This is done by observing the results derived from initial case studies, where several changes in robotic movement speed occurred. During the case studies execution, the robotic movement is controlled using the Teach Pendant, allowing determination of its right speed. Figure 4 shows results of calibration: under extrusion print (A) using 15 mm/s speed; over extrusion print (B) with TCP velocity of 5mm/s, and calibrated extrusion print (C) with a robotic movement speed of 9 mm/s. Figure 4. Results of 3D printing speed calibration. A. Under extrusion speed, B. Over extrusion speed, C. Calibrated extrusion speed Finally, for the correct deposition of material on the base of working area, the height calibration of the nozzle in relation to the base is required. This is done by placing the nozzle perpendicularly to the corner of the base with an approximate distance of 0-0.2mm. For the correct positioning of nozzle, this is repeated three times, as many as the rest of base’s corners. Using the HAL plug- in, the point of nozzle placement is recorder, updating the point in the parametric environment and then associating this with the base. In addition, for the right deposition of material, two initial layers of the geometry are added to the base with 5mm offset from the perimeter in accordance with the first layer of the shape. The form is printed on a solid layer, providing results of uniform clay layers. 4 Toolpath planning, robotic control and execution 4.1 Parametric design and control In a 3D printing process, important parameters determining the end result are the layer height that defines the distance between the sections in the contour process, the line width that is influenced by the filament width of the extruded materials and the wall thickness that determines the number of polylines per layer, calculated based on the width of extruded materials. These parameters are introduced into the Grasshopper parametric environment in order to identify the robotic toolpath. Figure 5. Flowchart of the contour geometrical configuration algorithm The purpose of the parametric algorithm is to receive and process any digital geometry (BREP), by converting this into mesh object. Then, it generates contour layers in the form of consecutive polylines. The users can determine the print precision by varying the layer height up to 2mm. In this phase of experimentation and for case study purposes, the layers are defined with a height of up to 1mm. Subsequently, the sequential sections of layers are offset with inward direction and with value 0.5mm that is determined by the line width, which represents the filament of the extruder material (in this case 1mm/0.5). Moreover, the wall thickness is defined by the user, by specifying an integer number of required offsets in order
  • 6. 35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018) for the extruder to print the expected width. The integer number is described by the roundness reduction of the thickness/line width relationship and also it calculates the group of polyline assigned in every layer height. Finally, polylines are divided into successive points, which create the toolpath of the robotic arm (Figure 5). 4.2 Toolpath planning The development of toolpath for robotic motion behavior is based on the successive points of contour polylines generated in the parametric environment. Also, in the same algorithm the digital output (DO) activation control connected to the relay is used to activate the Arduino board, resulting in the rotation of stepper motor, and hence in the extrusion of clay material. Figure 6 Flowchart of the toolpath development process The robotic movement commences at the starting point of toolpath that is assigned outside the geometry at the corner of the base, and at the same time the clay extruder is actuated. Then, the deposition of filaments on the two thick layers of material on the base are executed. This process is based on the geometry of the initial contour layer (polyline), whereas the contour is offset 5mm and it is filled with radial lines from the center of the polygon in outwards direction. After the two layers on the base of the object are generated, the process of toolpath development is taken place. The toolpath development process (for material extrusion) is based on the point-to-point motion driven by each contour layer, geometrically defined as polyline. The algorithm compares the distance between previous polyline’s end point and next polyline’s start point. If the line being created does not belong to the previous polyline, then the extruder is deactivated. In off state, the nozzle is disabled and is raised 2mm from the printed layer (from previous polyline’s end point to the next polyline’s start point) at a height of 2mm. Figure 7. Toolpath development results. Blue colour shows the DO activation and red colour shows the DO deactivation Subsequently, the nozzle approaches the next polyline’s start point and the clay extrusion is activated. By turning off the nozzle at a height of 2mm ensures that the object is properly printed, as the movement of the nozzle does not touch or collide with the printed structure or does not deposit material in undesirable areas of the geometry. Finally, the toolpath development process is repeated in each sequential group of polylines for each contour layer in order to develop the overall toolpath. This is sent to the robotic controller for printing
  • 7. 35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018) execution. Figure 6 shows the flowchart that describes the toolpath development process and figure 7 the toolpath generation in the parametric environment. Several case studies have been conducted, as shown in figure 8, in order to investigate results and draw useful conclusion for evolving printing process and for improving the functionality of the integrated platform. In the first case study, a compact geometry is used to investigate the toolpath for clay extrusion. In this case, clay material waste is observed because there is no interruption and removal as well as deactivation of the extrusion process. Also, the layer height range is investigated, resulting in 1mm being the ideal one. Figure 8 (A) shows the second case study, where the appropriate layer height is defined and the speed of the robotic arm relative to the extrusion speed is investigated. In this case, as mentioned above, the speed of the robotic machine (TCP velocity), relative to the rotation of the stepper motor, is set at 9 mm/s. Finally, in the third case study (Figure 8B) a more complex form that consist of openings is tested, and specifically the ability of the methodology applied to automatically activate/deactivate and remove the nozzle in cases of open hole patterns is explored. Also, results in terms of the quality of printing (smooth surface resolution, etc.) are derived, which are influenced from the layer width and height. Although, the experimental case studies introduced in this paper are in small scale, our attempt is to apply the suggested methodology in medium scale printing, but most importantly, in large scale tasks that can be revealed in construction industry. An experimentation in all scale levels with the parallel examination of appropriate clay material mixtures [27] will allow thorough and comprehensive results to be derived, evaluating in parallel the feasibility of the suggested platform to be introduced in construction industry in a future stage. 5 Conclusion Currently, there is a tendency towards parametric design incorporated within platforms for performance evaluation of buildings, offering opportunities for design optimization and selection of the best results that can be realized in actual scale. Also, there is an increased interest among educational establishments towards automated construction processes, mainly by using industrial robotic arms for the manufacturing of complex and non-standard morphologies. However, little work has been observed in regard to the coherent and robust integration of such advanced digital design tools with automated construction processes. In this paper, the methodological framework and the initial results of experimentation in regard to the integration of a parametric design environment with a robotic additive process is presented. The aim is to develop an open source/customized platform that offers an alternative and ease solution for 3D clay printing in robotic construction tasks. The methodological framework includes all important steps for a complete and effective integration that can achieve a smooth and seamless workflow from digital parametric design investigation to robotic production. The main pillars of this investigation include; the installation of industrial 3D clay extruder and robotic system calibration; the toolpath planning and the robotic control process, incorporated into the parametric environment; and finally the robotic execution, initially through small scale 3D clay printing studies. Within this framework, results in term of automated construction system calibration including extruder’s stepper motor and robotic speed are obtained. Also, results in terms of toolpath planning process including layers’ width and height of filament are obtained, offering all necessary data required for robotic execution in actual scale. Figure 8. Two case study experiments using the 3D cay extruder mounted on the robot In conclusion, this investigation has demonstrated a first attempt to integrate design and manufacturing tools within an open source platform. This allows an ease and effective development of robotic-driven automated system for 3D clay printing that can be potentially available for further implementation and use. Although, the first results are quite promising, further studies are required in order to test the feasibility of suggested methodology, together with a more thorough
  • 8. 35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018) examination in regard to the use of clay mixtures and their application in different scales. Simultaneously, further studies in robotic AM need to move beyond experimental stage towards application in real construction scenarios taking into consideration sustainability criteria. References [1] Camacho D. D., Clayton P., O’Brien W., Ferron R., Juenger M., Salamone S. and Seepersad C. Application of additive manufacturing in the construction industry – A prospective review. In Proceedings of the 34th ISARC, Taipei, Taiwan, 2017. [2] Wu P., Wang J. and Wang X. A critical review of the use of the 3-D printing in the construction industry. Automation in Construction, 68; 21-31, 2016. [3] Teizer J., Brickle A., King T., Leitzbach O. and Guenther D. Large scale 3D printing of complex geometric shapes in construction. In Proceedings of the 33rd ISARC, Auburn, USA, 2016. [4] RepRap. Online: http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap, Accessed:30/01/2018. [5] Khoshnevis B. and Dutton R. Innovative rapid prototyping process makes large sized, smooth surfaced complex shapes in a wide variety of materials. Materials Technology, 13(2):53-56, 1998. [6] D-Shape. Online: http://d-shape.com/, Accessed:30/01/2018. [7] Lim S., Buswell R.A., Le T.T., Austin S.A., Gibb A.G.F. and Thorpe T. Developments in construction-scale additive manufacturing processes. Automation in Construction, 21; 262-268, 2012. [8] Bos F.P., Wolfs R.J.M., Ahmed Z.Y. and Salet T.A.M. Additive manufacturing of concrete in construction: potentials and challenges of 3D concrete printing. Virtual and Physical Prototyping, 11(3): 209-225, 2016. [9] Nerella V.N., Krause M., Näther M. and Mechtcherine V. Studying printability of fresh concrete for formwork free concrete on-site 3D printing technology (CONPrint3D). In Proceedings of the 25th Conference on Rheology of Building Materials, Regensburg, Germany, 2016. [10] Khoshnevis B. Mega-scale fabrication by contour crafting. International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 1(3): 300-320, 2006. [11] Nematollahi B., Xia M. and Sanjayan J. Current progress of 3D concrete printing technologies. In Proceedings of the 34th ISARC, Taipei, Taiwan, 2017. [12] Kontovourkis O. and Michael P. A robotically- driven additive construction planning process using an ecological material. The introduction of 3D clay printing for large scale construction. In Proceedings of the 5th eCAADe RIS, 95-104, Cardiff, UK, 2017. [13] Bechthold, M. Ceramic Prototypes – Design, Computation, and Digital Fabrication. Informes de la Construcción, 68(544): 91 – 102, 2016. [14] Large scale 3D Printing. Online: https://iaac.net/research-projects/large-scale-3d- printing/on-site-robotics/, Accessed: 08/03/2018. [15] Isolda A.J. and Haberd G. Environmental design guidelines for digital fabrication. Journal of Cleaner Production, 142 (4): 2780-2781, 2017. [16] Davtalab O., Kazemian A. and Khoshnevis B. Perspectives on a BIM-integrated software platform for robotic construction through Contour Crafting. Automation in Construction, 89; 13-23, 2018. [17] Stumm S., Braumann J., von Hilchen M. and Brell- Cokcan S. On-site robotic construction assistance for assembly using a-priori knowledge and human- robot collaboration. In Proceedings of the 25th Conference on Robotics in Alpe-Adria-Danube Region, 583-592, Belgrade, Serbia, 2016. [18] Lublasser E., Braumann J., Goldbach D. and Brell- Cokcan S. Robotic forming. Rapidly generating 3D forms and structures through incremental forming. In Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on CAADRIA, 539-548, Melbourne, Australia, 2016. [19] Braumann J. and Brell-Cokcan S. Digital and physical tools for industrial robots in architecture: Robotic interaction and interfaces. International Journal of Architectural Computing, 10(4): 541- 554, 2012. [20] WASP Project. Online: http://www.personalfab.it/en/shop/clay-extruder- kit-2-0/, Accessed: 30/01/2018. [21] WASP Clay Kit 2.0 with LDM Wasp Extruder. Online: http://www.personalfab.it/en/shop/clay- extruder-kit-2-0/, Accessed: 30/01/2018. [22] Ultimaker Cura. Online: https://ultimaker.com/en/products/ultimaker-cura- software, Accessed: 30/01/2018 [23] Silcworm. Online: https://projectsilkworm.com/about/, Accessed: 30/01/2018. [24] Grasshopper. Online: http://www.grasshopper3d.com/ Accessed: 30/01/2018. [25] Rhino. Online: https://www.rhino3d.com/, Accessed: 30/01/2018. [26] HAL. Online: http://hal-robotics.com/, Accessed: 30/01/2018. [27] WASP Clay Mixture. Online: http://www.personalfab.it/en/shop/impasto- ceramico-porcellana-2/, Accessed: 30/01/2018.