Robotic method to produce 3D printed recyclable formwork for concrete.
The ‘Eggshell’ fabrication process is a novel method developed at ETH to make complex concrete building elements using 3D printed formwork. By using 3D printing to produce the formwork, complex designs can be fabricated very quickly with a robot. The process can be used to build many types of structures such as columns, beams, and floor slabs. In this project, we are combining 3D printing of a recyclable formwork with casting of a low-carbon concrete named zirkulit®. The zirkulit® concrete was developed with a unique CO2 storage technology by Eberhard.
In this way, complex concrete structures can be produced using a new digital and sustainable method and secondary building materials can be fed back into the circle.
A computational design script was made to create the designs of the benches. An industrial robotic arm is used to 3D print a thin formwork from recycled, thermoplastic material.
By using 3D printing to produce formwork, more efficient concrete structures can be realized, as it allows concrete to only be placed where it is needed. Additionally, the formwork can be printed from a recycled plastic which is a waste product from industrial processes. After casting, the formwork is taken off and can then be recycled again.
The zirkulit® benches on the educational path of circular economy invite to sit down.
