Osteobotics
We are proposing a flexible, automated robotic fabrication system, which exploits phase changing materials and utilities the intelligence of a robotic arm through accurate repetitive actions. The system allows the fabrication of a continuous lattice structure that can be melted and reused or left to biodegrade. Through the systemic manipulation of a phase changing plastic, the material parameters were programmed in order to achieve structural performance. Taking into consideration the accuracy and constraints of industrial robotic arms within the physical and digital studies, structural beams were computed to be extruded in between mono-materials nodes through simple repetitive actions. The customization of the end effectors of the robotic arm was crucial as it allowed us to generate an interface between the arm’s accuracy and was necessary to consider pulling angles of materials, length of the pull and orientation of the nodes. Through evaluation, axial forces proved to work best for lattice structure and therefore negotiation between the relaxation of the lattice and its initial conditions in order to select the optimal configuration was required. This research proposes a reusable, biodegradable and temporary architecture. The system is joint-less and monomaterial. The fabrication system is enclosed in a mobile unit, shifting the existing paradigm of the factory away from rigid, prefabricated components and towards custom architecture utilizing phase changing materials with on-site robotic fabrication. This allows for minimum manual assembly, greatly decreasing the construction and assembly times and reducing the necessity for scaffolding.
Time | 2014
Location | London, United Kingdom
Status | March Thesis
Programme | Temporary Pavilion
Team | M. Santi, S. Aburas, G. Nikas, M. P. Velasquez




