The current development of additive robotic manufacturing opens up a wide range of possibilities for digital fabrication. This research challenges the development of large-scale building components by utilizing concrete material through the digitally controlled deposition techniques and robotic systems. As well as investigating different 3D printing strategies, this research demonstrates a computational workflow for the design and additive manufacturing of an object in combination with an industrial robotic arm and fabrication devices. The aim of this project is to push the existing technologies and explore the digital artisanship in architecture through the interweaving of material, information, and robots.

The ability to control the hardening of concrete is essential in several applications such as slip forming, casting and extrusion systems and thus highly relevant for current solutions in the realm of digital fabrication. Hardening is directly related to the hydration/setting of cement as a consequence of the formation of hydration products. Its rate can be modified with chemical additives, called admixtures, which can act as set retarders or accelerators. In addition to interacting with the cement, these additives also react to each other. Usually, this represents an undesired outcome. For the first time, however, we have been able to exploit this reaction positively. In particular, we use it to control the setting of the cementitious system with two distinct material systems.