The construction of wooden structures was the next step to continue testing the robotic assembly processes. This experiment was Inspired by the “sequential wall” work by Gramazio & Kohler, and started by exploring various computational design methods to generate different solutions for a partition wall structure. This process was paired with the production of 3D printed models for the physical visualization and evaluation of the different striated structures.
The Striated Wall version selected for fabrication was made out of 263 bars measuring 43x44x380mm, and 262 bars measuring 43x44x195mm. By considering the action range of the robot, the solution was divided in 4 parts, which were then rotated for their fabrication in the horizontal position. The use of KUKA|prc allowed crafting the robotic assembly sequence avoiding collisions in the process. This time, a vacuum gripper was mounted in the robot to pick and place the wooden bars in the right position. Given that this was one of the first robotic experiments, the speed of the movements was limited for safety reasons.
The whole process run smoothly, but some minor deviations in the positioning of some bars can be detected. This is explained by the occurrence of some material slippage in some points, due to chose glue slow adhesive effect. Despite this fact, the experience and the global result clearly revealed the potential of robotic technology to handle non-standard material assemblies. The vertical position of the displayed structure triggers the imagination in wondering how it was fabricated with the robot.
