mini-eggshell is a four-week design and fabrication assignment in which the MAS students developed their own take on the ‘Eggshell’ fabrication concept. Eggshell is a robotic fabrication process for bespoke concrete structures which combines FDM 3D printing with set-on-demand concrete casting. By carefully controlling lateral pressure exerted by the concrete, a thin formwork without any additional support can be used for casting concrete. 

 

Through an iterative process of designing, printing and casting the aim was to develop smart, efficient and integrated building components. Various building typologies such as columns, walls, hybrid and connection elements were explored using either clay or thermoplastic formwork, showcasing some of the possibilities for future concrete construction. The six groups of students each had a UR5 robotic arm with either a clay- or plastic extruder end-effector at their disposal. The three groups using clay explored clay as a formwork for a column capital, for a textured wall and for a spatial node. The groups investigating thermoplastic extrusion developed concepts for a wall/column hybrid, light-permeable concrete wall and an assembly of multiple components.

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More information on the Eggshell research project here.

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We would like to thank our material sponsors for their generous support: extrudr and Lafarge Holcim