The Master Programme in Robotics and Advanced Construction is an innovative educational format that offers interdisciplinary skills and understanding through a series of class seminars that are put into practice through hands-on workshops. IAAC gives students the opportunity to create individual studio agendas and develop Pilot Thesis Projects based on the knowledge acquired during the seminars and workshops split into 3 Modules. In this way, IAAC puts together an experimental learning environment for the training of professionals with both theoretical and practical responses to the increasing complexity of the construction sector.

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An Analysis of The Triple Bottom Line in Advanced Manufacturing of Non-standardized Materials

Process Defined “Advanced Manufacturing for Non-Standardized Materials” refers to the use of innovative manufacturing techniques to work with materials that do not conform to conventional standards or specifications.” Advanced Manufacturing: This encompasses cutting-edge technologies and methods, such as automation, robotics, 3D printing, and computer-aided design (CAD), which enhance efficiency, precision, and flexibility in the manufacturing … Read more

Robotic Craft Interaction

An Intersectional Investigation Robotics is the field of study focused on the research and application of robotic systems. This definition, however, doesn’t provide much insight. So, what is a robot? Robots are machines that can operate autonomously or through programmed input to perform specific tasks, often replacing human effort. These tasks are typically complex and … Read more

ROBOT-ASSISTED WEAVING + RAW MATERIALS / MRAC Workshop 1.2

Team member(s): Govind Chithrath, Santosh Shenbagamoorthy, Krystyn Kontos  , Aleksandra Kraeva and Lauren DemingModified by Lauren Deming on November 24, 2024 Ultimately, the goal is to develop more efficient means for harvesting and utilizing low-carbon footprint alternatives for construction. Course Objective Project Abstract Autonomous Weaving with Raw Materials explores the intersection between weaving automation and the use of raw materials. After analyzing … Read more

Weaving Natural Materials – Breathing Curtain Wall

Introduction As part of the workshop led by Javier Fuentes and Moritz Dörstelmann the Chair of Digital Design and Fabrication (DDF) at the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT), our team explored the potential of willow as an innovative material in architecture. This project merges sustainability, advanced design, and robotic technology to develop breathable and adaptive … Read more

Paint Bubble End Effector

The Hardware-I seminar explores different hardware tools for the purpose of making a custom end effector to be mounted on the robot flange. The objective of this end effector is to spill paint on a canvas. In our project, we aimed to control and precisely calibrate the smallest splash of paint possible by exploring one … Read more

FLOWPRESS – Creating Patterns with Parameters

Introduction This seminar invites students to explore making custom made spillers controlled by Arduino and a 6-axes robotic arm in order to paint spills on canvas with black acrylic paint. Context   Recently we have clearly observed immense changes in production, prototyping, and innovation that has been influenced by open source software, firmware and hardware. Human … Read more

BIO-ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING / MRAC Workshop 1.1

Cork-based 3d printing – Topological Optimisation Design Introduction    The seminar invites students to explore new materials, additive processes and new fields of applications through robotic 3d printing taking advantage of the potential of the 6-axes of the robotic arm. Context   Recently we have clearly observed immense changes in architectural design development. Architecture has been influenced … Read more

Robotic Strategies in Construction

Computational Design for Digital and Robotic Fabrication Introduction The Software I module served as our introduction to understanding how designs produced on the computer translate into fabrication strategies that can be used by a robotic arms in various ways. The seminar was broken up into four exercises, each exercise involved a specific robotic operation and … Read more

Computational Design Strategies for Robotic Fabrication

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The Software-I seminar introduces computational design strategies for robotic fabrication, focusing on the software aspects of these processes. The following exercises cover different manufacturing strategies that translate digital models into buildable forms through precise toolpath development and simulation. These include an end-to-end process from conceptual design to the generation of fabrication files for robotic systems, … Read more

Robotic Manifesto: Embracing Advanced manufacturing in complex architectural geometries

Introduction: In the realm of architecture, we stand at a pivotal moment where traditional construction methods struggle to meet the demands for intricate architectural forms while sustainability concerns continue to mount. As students of the Master in Robotics and Advanced Construction program, guided by the expertise of Mariana Popescu, we advocate for a paradigm shift … Read more

“Timber Narratives”

Aim To develop a modular system for seamless automated assembly and disassembly, specifically tailored for the reclamation and repurposing of planar, semi-standardized waste materials ,and also to foster circularity by maximizing resource efficiency and ensuring a sustainable end-of-life use for products within the system. Context State of the art Methodology Assembly and disassembly process by … Read more

Clay Virtuoso

How might we improve clay 3D printing by integrating automated post-processing techniques and hybrid workflows?Our goal is to implement craftsmanship techniques to robotic processes to elevate surface finishes & improve dimensional accuracy to create new opportunities for the mass customization of clay. Introducing our project Clay Virtuoso. Our project focuses on how might we enhance … Read more

STICKS SYSTEMS

Our Aim Is To Design a Robotic Manufacturing System using Wood Offcuts for Prefabricated and Customized Self Shading Facades CONTEXT In the realm of mass timber production, a staggering 40% of a wooden log goes to waste, with an additional 25% arising from trimming and edging processes. Despite this substantial waste, innovative approaches have emerged … Read more

Airbrush End-Effector

The primary goal of this project is to design and fabricate a custom end-effector that can be attached to an ABB robot. The system that our group decided to explore involves the idea of utilizing an airbrush and robotically controlling it. This system will utilize a Raspberry Pi Pico for control and Grasshopper for generating … Read more

The Pearl

Stack Lamination: Exploring the Intersection of Subtractive and Additive Manufacturing Brief: This workshop was conceived with the aim of familiarizing participants with the procedural intricacies of Stack Lamination milling, employing an Industrial KUKA robot arm. The methodology encompassed the integration of both digital and conventional fabrication approaches. We engaged in practical applications of 3-axis CNC … Read more

Side Table

Exploring the Intersection of Subtractive and Additive Manufacturing In the pursuit of challenging manufacturing norms and pushing the boundaries of creativity, our team delved into the intricate world of stack lamination during the recent workshop. Focused on creating functional and visually stunning furniture pieces for a potential cafeteria in Barcelona, our journey unfolded through three … Read more

Topographic Chair

During this one week workshop we explored the combination of stack lamination and 5 axis robotic milling for the speculative production of furniture for the new IAAC cafe. As a group we conceptualized and developed 3 items of furniture that could be produced using stack lamination. Each design was rationalized to make use of a … Read more

Visualising Genres: Investigating the Combination of Acoustics and Art in Multi-Material 3D Printed Walls

Brief Our curiosity brought us to an intriguing investigation at the nexus of technology, craftsmanship, and acoustics in the quest to elevate spatial design. This blog shares the story of our journey, where we used a cutting-edge multi-material 3D printing technique to produce personalized sound-diffusing walls—a first for the industry. Our concept began with a … Read more

TerraCool

State of the Art In the quest for sustainable and energy-efficient cooling solutions, the TerraCool project endeavors to harness the natural properties of clay through the innovative application of multi-material 3D printing technology. This research project aims to develop an advanced evaporative cooling system utilizing seashell ceramic. “TerraCool” is not only a testament to the … Read more

Symbiosis

State Of The Art Utilization of robotics within the additive manufacturing world is becoming more and more standardized as the needs of people and the environment are changing. The construction industry itself has to produce more efficient structures with very little to no waste, and the capabilities of robots to do this are very apparent. … Read more

Scanning to compare clay bricks: Digital vs Real

In this course we learned about the Robotic Operating System (ROS) and the MoveIt motion planning using Python for controlling robots. We also utilized development tools such as Git and Docker for managing the data. We learned about different types of sensors which helped for the robot’s motion visualization and scanning for the purpose of … Read more

Robotic Manufacturing of Cork Surfaces

The objective of this studio was to implement an automated robotic process for the efficient fabrication of modular cork blocks, essential components of a doubly curved acoustic surface. The key objectives encompassed the following: By addressing these objectives, the studio aimed to advance the field of robotic fabrication while emphasizing the acoustic potential of cork … Read more

Ruled Stereotomic Manufacturing

Ruled surfaces are a way to address both simplicity in terms of design rules and at the same time complexity in terms of the outcome. In this workshop we aimed at defining design rules which are performance driven, to obtain modular geometries. Through parametrization and manipulation of computational workflows we generated paths and mapped them … Read more