Dynamic Slip Casting: An Efficient Robotic Approach to Geometrically Variable Ceramic Part Production

Clay slip is renowned for its versatility, enabling seamless molding, casting, and firing processes that facilitate the production of precisely-shaped and diverse products with varied sizes. However, its limitation in producing variable components without new molds presents challenges for integration into architectural practices where variability is often advantageous. This paper introduces an innovative slip casting approach that allows for the production of diverse clay forms using a single mold by employing a 6-axis articulated robot to rotate the mold during the solidification process. A simulation program predicts the solidified slip's shape in realtime, and a customized end effector attaches the mold to a robotic arm and periodically injects additional slip for precise edge control. The proposed method combines traditional slip casting with industrial robotics, offering greater control over geometric qualities without increasing mold demands. This study offers a potential solution for advancing ceramic manufacturing by overcoming conventional limitations, which could offer opportunities for increased innovation and creativity in architecture and beyond.

Wu, R., Moriuchi, S., Li, S., Chen, A., Anderson, J., King, N., Stuart-Smith, R. “Dynamic Slip Casting: An Efficient Robotic Approach to Geometrically Variable Ceramic Part Production” In Crawford, A.,Diniz, N., Beckett, R., Vanucchi, J., Swackhamer, M. (Eds.), ACADIA 2023: Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Conference of the Association of Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA): Habits of the Anthroprocene. IngramSpark, 2023: 267–277.

The paper is available for download on the Cumincad website here.

The Autonomous Manufacturing Lab (AML) explores the integration of robotic manufacturing and construction within architectural design. The AML aims to reduce the environmental and economic costs of design and production while enhancing their cultural and aesthetic impact. The lab's integrative methods for generative design and manufacturing are developed as semi-autonomous systems, exploring possibilities for artisanal-like craftsmanship to be scaled to large production volumes. This approach provides greater specificity and enhanced aesthetic character in design responses compared to traditional automated methods, whilst also reducing material use and waste within bespoke design and production processes. The AML's research enhances design and production capabilities across diverse manufacturing methods and materials by developing industrial and mobile robot fabrication techniques, multi-agent systems, AI/machine learning computational approaches, and applications of real-time sensor and computer vision technologies. This multidisciplinary research includes the development of Aerial Additive Manufacturing, recently published in Nature, which demonstrates the world’s first in-flight additive manufacturing by cooperating drones, representing a rapidly deployable form of collective robotic construction.

University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design
The Weitzman School of Design prepares students to address complex sociocultural and environmental issues through thoughtful inquiry, creative expression, and innovation. As a diverse community of scholars and practitioners, we are committed to advancing the public good–both locally and globally–through art, design, planning, and preservation.

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Dynamic Slip Casting: An Efficient Robotic Approach to Geometrically Variable Ceramic Part Production

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