Exploration of Parametric Design and Robotic Assembly of Shell Structures

建筑正在经历重大变化，因为建筑自动化正在从根本上改变标准加工技术，从长远来看，可能会导致3D打印和机器人等颠覆性技术被应用于改善建筑流程。该项目特别关注复杂几何形状的开发，例如自由形状的壳体。它旨在研究机器人和3D打印在采用更复杂和更有效的几何形状方面所能提供的潜力。该研究将探索通过轻型协作机器人数字化设计、制造和组装干壳结构的可能性。这些机器人将协同定位，稳定和连接/紧固结构的部分，以构建外壳。对机器人手臂/手的动作进行编程，研究机器人能力、数字化设计和外壳设计之间的相互关系，并考虑使用与环境和周围物体相关的感官信息，进一步优化操作。现代计算机的能力允许实时处理位置信息以更新装配指令，并考虑到这种复杂几何形状所产生的不可避免的不准确性。这项研究朝着在建筑行业更有效地使用机器人技术以及机器人与人类之间更安全的合作迈出了一步。这将涉及一些物理演示，这些演示将在整个博士研究期间被编程为研究成果里程碑。

Architecture is going through major changes as automation in construction is radically transforming standard processing technologies and could lead, in the longer-term, to disruptive technologies such as 3D-printing and robotics being applied to improve construction processes. This project focuses in particular on the development of complex geometries, such as free form shells. It aims to investigate the potential that robotics and 3D printing could offer in terms of enabling the adoption of more complex and efficient geometries. The research will explore possibilities to digitally design, fabricate and assemble dry shell structures through lightweight collaborative robots. These robots will collaboratively position, stabilize, and attach/fasten parts of the structure, to construct the shell. Robot arm/hand actions required to perform such operations will be programmed, and the reciprocal relation between robot capabilities, digital design, and shell design will be investigated.The use of sensory information correlated to the environment and surrounding objects will be considered to further optimize the operation. The capabilities of modern computers allow for real-time processing of position information to update the assembly instructions, and account for the inevitable inaccuracies that arise from such complex geometries.This research is a step towards a more efficient use of robotics in the construction industry and safer collaboration between robots and humans. This will involve a number of physical demonstrations that will be programmed as research output milestones throughout the PhD research period.