Additive manufacturing enables industries with a new production typology. For the metal manufacturing industry, this new means of production extends the spectrum of achievable building parts that can be fabricated and integrated into architectural designs. Consequently, this process is becoming increasingly relevant for construction industries. The application of additive manufacturing in metal fabrication industries requires high performance technology and extensive knowledge of material and process. Within this paper, we focus on the implementation of incremental point welding as a metal additive arc welding strategy. The goal is the realization and optimization of a manufacturing method which implements adaptive strategies in the control of this production process. In this research, incremental point welding is used for the production of branching structures. Incremental point welding is a type of metal arc additive manufacturing which deposits material by adding individual welding points rather than layering welding seams. This process is interesting for a number of reasons. The incremental application of individual metal drops simplifies the analysis and forecast of residual stress and temperature developments. Consistent arc initialization within point welding is hard to control and, therefore, requires further exploration. This led to the following research in developing an adaptive process. Furthermore, the potential of the process is increased by the possibility of tool-path adaptivity for a robotic system enabling the robot to produce welds at complex approach angles. This research developed a novel approach, able to manufacture complex branching structures while compensating for inaccuracies caused by the welding process using image processing and an adaptive strategy. First experiments showed the possibility to work at a range of overhang angle in addition to multiple approach angles up to 50°. This adaptive process increases the potential application of this technology for the extensions of existing structures as well as repair of metal structures through incremental point welding.
No abstract
Throughout history, waves of industrial revolutions have disrupted established manufacturing methodologies. Traditional construction processes have been transformed by new means of creating objects and computing information. The manufacturing of steel is no exception to this trend. Past methods for the creation of steel included hot forming (casting, extruding and welding), cold forming (subtractive milling, bending and rolling) and cold connected assemblies (bolts and rivets). All these methods create certain constraints to the application, form and function of steel elements. Developments within fabrication technologies bring a new dimension to the possibility of creating complex geometries in steel manufacturing. This article explores the use of new technologies including additive manufacturing as well as composite joints, and highlights the integration of new robotic programming paradigms for architectural production. Typical 3D printing technologies create objects by incrementally adding layers of material in order to create a final part. Employing robotics does not only allow for fabrication on a larger architectural scale. The flexible configurations of the robotic arm, with its six degrees of freedom, allows for the additive manufacturing of elements on top of existing structures or surfaces. Within this article we create an overview of fabrication technologies for joining steel, as well as their influence on architectural design. We explore how new technologies enable the creation of new design possibilities, through the increased flexibility of robotic fabrication.
Data acquisition and transfer are crucial aspects of the digitization and automation of construction workflows. Through the integration of microcontrollers in machinery, a multitude of data can be acquired and analyzed to adapt fabrication processes and optimize performance. The goal of this research was to develop connected multi-functional robotic systems that can transfer data across a wireless network through MQTT, a robust and lightweight IoT communication protocol. This research demonstrates a use case for such interconnected robotic technology by establishing wireless communication through MQTT between a mobile robot and a plasma cutting station. A microcontroller was utilized in the digitization and automation of this steel construction process to obtain, process and transfer the data in a way that was monitorable and storable for managing and optimizing workflows.
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