Computerized production robot for additive manufacturing in civil engineering

• Subject Area: Construction Engineering and Architecture ; Production Technology
• Term: Funded in 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 428661541

The importance of additive manufacturing in civil engineering is continuously growing. However, the full potential cannot be exploited due to a lack of methods and processes required to improve the productivity and quality of additively manufactured building components. The architecture, engineering, and construction industry, so far, benefits to a relatively small extent from the potential of additive manufacturing. The computerized production robot applied for in this project is intended to serve as a catalyst for multi-disciplinary basic and applied research efforts in additive manufacturing in civil engineering. In addition to the production robot (“main device”), other components (such as sensing technology and industrial PCs) are applied for to facilitate solving critical research questions regarding additive manufacturing of reinforced components, integration of intelligent sensors into additive manufacturing processes, and development of digital models and interfaces. This application for major research instrumentation is a joint initiative of different chairs and institutes of Bauhaus University Weimar and Technical University Ilmenau with core competencies in computing in civil engineering, material sciences, structural engineering, structural mechanics, and production technologies.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Computergesteuerter Baufertigungsroboter zur Additiven Fertigung im Bauwesen
• Instrumentation Group: 2110 Formen-, Modellherstellung und gießereitechnische Maschinen
• Applicant Institution: Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
• Leader: Professor Dr.-Ing. Horst-Michael Ludwig