Skanska, Foster + Partners, and engineers at Loughborough University (LU) are working together to create the first commercial 3D concrete printing robot.
LU has been working on the project since 2007, but the new partnership is recent, according to ArchDaily. Skanska will participate in an 18-month program with a consortium of partners to develop a robot capable of printing complex structural components with concrete. Robotics firm ABB and aggregates suppliers Buchan Concrete and Lafarge Tarmac will be a part of the consortium, as well.
“3D concrete printing, when combined with a type of mobile prefabrication center, has the potential to reduce the time needed to create complex elements of buildings from weeks to hours,” stated Skanska Director Rob Francis. “We expect to achieve a level of quality and efficiency which has never been seen before in construction.”
Check out this video about LU's 3D printing research:
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