Image credit: Ai Build
In collaboration with Nvidia and Kuka, AiBuild is using artificial intelligence to guide a 3D-printing robot.
The Daedalus Pavilion, which was displayed at the GPU Technology Conference on Sept. 28 – 29, demonstrated how autonomy can be used in construction robots. The structure was built by a Kuka industrial robot, which printed 160 kg of biodegradable material from Dutch company Formfutura. The Arup design firm also contributed to the construction.
“This collaboration between AiBuild and Arup is a strikingly tangible taste of how even established industries like construction will be transformed by artificial intelligence,” said Jack Watts, Deep Learning Start-up Business Manager for Nvidia’s Northern Europe division.
The pavilion itself was a 5 meters wide by 5 meters deep by 4.5 meters high space, made out of 48 different pieces. The robot was able to print them over a period of three weeks.
This is part of Ai Build’s goal to establish a foothold in digital manufacturing. The six-axis robots can build 3D printed structures with more dexterity and flexibility than three-axis robots, and can also extrude a variety of both ABS and PLA materials, allowing for different materials to be used within the same structure to give it rigidity or flexibility.
The pavilion was used as a promotional display for AI Build at the conference. Its life isn’t over now that the show is, though – it will be returned to AI Build’s headquarters in London, possibly to be used at future events.
Filed Under: Industrial automation
