Bam has developed a “robo printer” for the construction of free-form buildings.
The machine, dubbed the 3D Builder by the Dutch construction firm, uses free-form print technology linked to automotive industry robotics. Bam says it is the first of its kind.
The robo printer can be used to create free-form buildings – as opposed to those constructed with conventional framing methods such as reinforced concrete, steel or timber – and complex ornamental exteriors, according to Bam.
“The construction method is comparable to that of an inkjet printer, but instead of putting ink on paper, it uses a bonding liquid (water with magnesium chloride) with sand and magnesium oxide to build the structure from ground level upwards,” Rutger Sypkens, commercial manager at Bam, explained to CM.
The 3D Builder will be used at this month’s FabCity exhibition in Amsterdam to construct a 1:4 scale model of Landscape House, a free-form design conceived by Dutch architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars of Universe Architecture, and intended to be constructed using 3D printing technology.
The robot will produce a 1:4 scale model of Landscape House (above), having created a 1:15 model which now serves as a bench in Amsterdam (below)
Bam 3D printed a 1:15 scale model of Landscape House, which now serves as a public bench in central Amsterdam, at the end of last year.
“This was also made from sand, magnesium oxide, magnesium chloride and water, and finished with a luminous layer,” said Sypkens.
The robot can be mounted on tracks to enable it to travel autonomously across the building site. The print head can be changed according to the different types of material used.
In future, through new printing techniques, Bam plans to use the same process with steel and insulation materials.
“This is one of the developments that we want to work on,” said Sypkens. “Currently we use plastic to strengthen horizontal spans.”
Sypkens said Bam wants to build the full-size Landscape House “as soon as possible”, potentially on the site vacated by FabCity in Amsterdam, assuming construction of the scale model is successful.
FabCity will run until the end of June 2016.
