Non-linear fabrication: A dialogue between architecture and robotic wire-arc additive manufacture

Within architecture the joint is an integral part of a building’s dialogue withits users and audience. Steel joints allow for the extension of membersand fundamental changes between columns and beams. However, dueto the limitation of traditional metal fabrication, highly parametric andcomputational informed designs are constrained by the conditions ofmass production. High output low cost, limiting the highly variable natureof geometrical informed individual joints.

Through the fabrication of computational informed architectural steelconnection in combination with non-linear geometric segmentation and6-axis robotic wire arc additive manufacture (WAAM), this researchaims to optimise the aesthetic opportunities and practical fabrication oflarge-scale steel architectural joints. Currently, there exists a disconnectbetween the dialogue of metal joints and architectural intent. Throughthe innovative use of non-linear fabrication and member informed multidirectionalslicing, this research aims to construct a closed digital designloop though to fabrication. Utilising the additive fabrication processof WAAM, to construct a mass-customisable metal node which stillmaintains an aesthetic architectural opportunity.

The aims of this research are to outline the potential of fabricating masscustomisablesteel joints through the process of non-linear segmentation.

Describing the methods and techniques used to fabricate a computationalinformed metal joint through the manufacturing process of WAAM.