Spatial winding: cooperative heterogeneous multi-robot system for fibrous structures

Abstract

This research presents a cooperative heterogeneous multi-robot fabrication system for the spatial winding of filament materials. The system is based on the cooperation of a six-axis robotic arm and a customized 2 + 2 axis CNC gantry system. Heterogeneous multi-robot cooperation allows to deploy the strategy of Spatial Winding: a new method of sequential spatial fiber arrangement, based on directly interlocking filament-filament connections, achieved through wrapping one filament around another. This strategy allows to create lightweight non-regular fibrous space frame structures. The new material system was explored through physical models and digital simulations prior to deployment with the proposed robotic fabrication process. An adaptable frame setup was developed which allows the fabrication of a variety of geometries within the same frame. By introducing a multi-step curing process that integrates with the adaptable frame, the iterative production of continuous large-scale spatial frame structures is possible. This makes the structure’s scale agnostic of robotic reach and reduces the necessary formwork to the bare minimum. Through leveraging the capacities of two cooperating machines, the system allows to counteract some of their limitations. A flexible, dynamic and collaborative fabrication system is presented as a strategy to tailor the fiber in space and expand the design possibilities of lightweight fiber structures. The artifact of the proposed fabrication process is a direct expression of the material tectonics and the robotic fabrication system.

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“…As a result of the 19th-century development of hydraulic machinery, landscape architecture has evolved. Recent trends in landscape architecture require the discipline to embrace more expansive territorial systems, such as naturally occurring processes or performance-oriented physical events (Duque Estrada et al, 2020). Due to the irregularity of natural terrains, they provide a high level of difficulty for digital fabrication.…”

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“…[1][2][3][4][5] The manufacturing process of coreless filament winding (CFW) 6,7 allows its utilization in shells 8 and lattice frameworks. 9 For technical applications where high specific mechanical properties are required, CFW offers a superior performance, since it allows for full control over the component geometry and fiber orientation.…”