Multi-Machine Fabrication: An Integrative Design Process Utilising an Autonomous UAV and Industrial Robots for the Fabrication of Long-Span Composite Structures

Abstract

Fiber composite materials have tremendous potential in architectural applications due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and their ability to be formed into complex shapes. Novel fabrication processes can be based on the unique affordances and characteristics of fiber composites. Because these materials are lightweight and have high tensile strength, a radically different approach to fabrication becomes possible, which combines low-payload yet long-range machines—such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)—with strong, precise, yet limited-reach industrial robots. This collaborative concept enables a scalable fabrication setup for long-span fiber composite construction. This paper describes the integrated design process and design development of a large-scale cantilevering demonstrator, in which the fabrication setup, robotic constraints, material behavior, and structural performance were integrated in an iterative design process.