From CAD models to toy brick sculptures: A 3D block printer

Abstract

This paper presents a robotic 3D printer: a robot system that can assemble toy brick sculptures from their 3D CAD models. In this system, a 3D CAD model is automatically converted to a block model consisting of primitive toy blocks. Then an assembly plan of the block model is automatically generated, if feasible. According to the plan, an industrial robot assembles a brick sculpture layer by layer from bottom to top. We demonstrate successful assembly of several brick sculptures.