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Development of an adaptable manufacturing process for modular lightweight concrete components using fully recyclable formwork systems

Applicants

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr.-Ing. E.h. Dr. h.c. Werner Sobek Universität Stuttgart, ILEK

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. mult. Alexander Verl Universität Stuttgart, ISW

Scientific staff

Dipl.-Arch. Daria Kovaleva Universität Stuttgart, ILEK

David Nigl, M. Sc. Universität Stuttgart, ILEK

Maximilian Nistler, M. Sc.Universität Stuttgart, ISW

Frederik Wulle, M. Sc. Universität Stuttgart, ISW

Project description

Due to population growth and the increasing scarcity of natural resources, the construction industry is faced with the challenge of increasing construction volume and reducing material consumption. To meet this challenge, it is necessary to accelerate construction processes, increase the efficiency of building components and avoid construction waste.
Within the SPP this subproject deals with the investigation of flow production potentials for load-optimized lightweight concrete components. The focus is on the additive production of recyclable formwork and its integration into the flow production chain. The motivation for this innovative process is given by the present predominant production of formwork components. In practice, the formwork plays a key role in the accuracy and quality of the concrete elements to be produced. However, the production process of the individual formwork components is usually not automated, especially in the case of geometrically complex components. The costs incurred are correspondingly high and reusability is usually not possible. The present subproject is intended to counteract both the latter problem and the shortage of resources. The combination of additive manufacturing technologies together with waste-free, water-soluble material systems is considered to be a promising alternative to conventional formwork production. The manufacturing process is based on powder-bed binder-jetting technology and is carried out by spraying water onto a mixture of sand and water-sensitive binder, which after hardening takes on a geometrically stable shape. To a certain extent, the powder-bed process also allows the integration of further production steps. These include automated reinforcement integration and the installation of fasteners (Fig. 1). In order to guarantee the described manufacturing process, various individual components are be designed. This includes the development of the kinematic system, the components of the material supply and processing system as well as end-effectors for the integration of reinforcement and fasteners. For a quality assuring process control a modular, open control system as well as online control methods for the dynamic adjustment of the process parameters are to be developed.

Poster on the project contents

Figure 1: Description of new flow manufacturing process: 1) Insertion of the connecting implants, 2) Printing of the formwork structure and reinforcement integration, 3) Removal of the unbound material, 4) Casting, 5) Removal of the formwork, 6) Manufactured component.
Figure 1: Description of new flow manufacturing process: 1) Insertion of the connecting implants, 2) Printing of the formwork structure and reinforcement integration, 3) Removal of the unbound material, 4) Casting, 5) Removal of the formwork, 6) Manufactured component.

Publications

2023

[8] Kolbeck, L.; Kovaleva, D.; Manny, A.; Stieler, D.; Rettinger, M.; Renz, R.; Tošić, Z.; Teschemacher, T.; Stindt, J.; Forman, P.; Borrmann, A.; Blandini, L.; Stempniewski, L.; Stark, A.; Menges, A.; Schlaich, M.; Albers, A.; Lordick, D.; Bletzinger, K.-U.; Mark, P.
Modularisation Strategies for Individualised Precast Construction—Conceptual Fundamentals and Research Directions
Designs 2023, 7, 143. https://doi.org/10.3390/designs7060143

2022

[7] Kovaleva, D.; Nistler, M.; Blandini, L.; Sobek, W.; Verl, A.:
Rezyklierbare Sandschalungen: Auf dem Weg zur Kreislaufproduktion leichter Betonbauteile
Beton- und Stahlbetonbau (6), 2022 

[6] Kovaleva, D.; Nistler, M.; Verl, A.; Blandini, L.; Sobek, W.
Zero-waste Production of Lightweight Concrete Structures with Water-Soluble Sand Formwork
Proceedings of The 3rd RILEM International Conference on Digital Fabrication with Concrete (Digital Concrete 2022), Loughborough, UK, 2022 

[5] Kovaleva, D.; Nistler, M.; Verl, A.; Blandini, L.; Sobek, W.
Abfallfreie Herstellung leichter Betonbauteile mittels wasserlöslicher Sandschalungen
Proceedings of 1. Fachkongress Konstruktiver Ingenieurbau, 2022 

[4] Kovaleva, D.
Ästhetik und Effizienz gradierter Bauteile
Betonprisma (112), Digitalisierung, 2021, S. 28-31.

[3] M. Nistler et al.
Camera-based Process Monitoring for Powder Bed Additive Manufacturing in Construction
Procedia CIRP, 2022 

[2] F. Wulle et al.
Multi-axis 3D printing of gelatin methacryloyl hydrogels on a non-planar surface obtained from magnetic resonance imaging
Additive Manufacturing, vol. 50, p. 102566, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.addma.2021.102566

2021

[1] Kovaleva, D.; Sobek, W.; Wulle, F.; Verl, A.:
Entwicklung eines adaptierbaren Fertigungsverfahrens für modulare leichte Betonbauteile mittels voll-rezyklierbaren Schalungssystemen.
In: BetonWerk International Nr. 1, 2021, S. 29-30
Link zum Artikel

Supervised theses

2021

[3] Tepper, Louis
Kamerabasiertes Prozess-Monitoring zur Prozessoptimierung für das Schalungsdrucken mittels Binder-Jetting Verfahren
Studienarbeit, stitut für Steuerungstechnik der Werkzeugmaschinen und Fertigungseinrichtungen (ISW), Universität Stuttgart, Betreuer: Maximilian Nistler

[2] Sauer, Robin
Pulverbett-basierte Additive Fertigung mit variabler Auflösung
Bachelorarbeit, Institut für Steuerungstechnik der Werkzeugmaschinen und Fertigungseinrichtungen (ISW), Universität Stuttgart, Betreuer: Maximilian Nistler

[1] Salerno, Johannes
Hybride Bahnplanung linienförmiger Werkzeuge für die schichtbasierte Additive Fertigung
Bachelorarbeit, stitut für Steuerungstechnik der Werkzeugmaschinen und Fertigungseinrichtungen (ISW), Universität Stuttgart, Betreuer: Maximilian Nistler