Learn the story of Minibuilders

Footprint

One or more Foundation Robots make the footprint: first 20 layers of the structure. They can move according to a predifined path continuously or back and forth. Small robots are connected with pipes to the supplier robot, that feeds the printing material.

Walls

After the base is done, Grip Robots are clamped onto the footprint. They extend the structure further by printing layers of material meanwhile holding onto layers they previously printed.
Their nozzle can shift from side to side allowing to create curved walls.

Ceilings

The grip of these robots is enough strong and the curing speed of the material is enough fast to use them for horizontal printing. These robots can print ceilings and window/door lintels.

Reinforcement

To reinforce the shell vacuum robots attach onto it and print additional layers over it. These layers don’t have to be parallel to each-other, they can be free-form and be applied only where structure requires them. Vacuum Robots can travel over surfaces of any inclination.

Material

Foundation Robot

This robot uses tracks to move around, and a line-follower sensor to position itself. This sensor in the front part of the robot recognizes curves on the ground and enables steering. Foundation Robot has a vertical linear actuator to position the nozzle relative to the height of printed layer.

1 x Dynamixel AX-12A

2 x Dynamixel RX-64

Grip Robot

This robot attaches to the structure by clamping it between 4 rollers. Besides rotational actuator, each roller is connected to a steering actuator that allows to position the robot precisely over the structure.
The nozzle can dynamically be moved sideways to have higher control over the printed shape.
Heaters are used to increase the speed of material curing time.

9 x Dynamixel AX-12A

2 x 198 Degrees Heaters

Vacuum Robot

This robot is used to reinforce the shell printed by first two robots. It attaches onto the surface by using a vacuum generator and a suction cup. Vacuum inside of the cup holds the robot on the surface, while allowing it to freely move around it. The robot moves and steers itself with two tracks.

4 x Dynamixel AX-12A

1 x Vacuum Generator

Cristina Nan

Researcher

Dori Sadan

Researcher

IAAC Team

Direction: Areti Markopoulou

Technical Advisory: Guillem Camprodon, Luis Fraguada

Management: Ana Marti Serichol

Extensive Support: Shashank Shrivastva, Harry Mann, Sofoklis Giannakopoulos

External support

Mechanization: Joška Križik

Fundraising: Fedor Novikov

Filming: Maxim Tomash, Lev Maslov, Vadim Kolosov

Special thanks

Chirag Rangholia, Robert Garita, Fran Blanco, Aldo Sollazzo, Alejandra Diaz de Leon, Moritz Begle, Alexandre Oliver, Mathilde Marengo, Julia Kosulnikova, Dmitry Kovtun, Masha Shashkova, Mary Kate Heinrich, Anya Popova, Rodrigo Aguirre, Alejandro del Campo, Carmen Menez, Ali Yerdel, Hriday Siddharth