Ceramic Incremental Forming–A Rapid Mold-Less Forming Method of Variable Surfaces

Following architectural practice’s widespread adoption of 3D modelling software, the digital design of free-form surfaces has enabled more heterogeneously organized architectural assemblies. However, fabricating envelope components with double-curved surface geometry have remained a challenge, involving significant machine time and material waste, and great expense to produce. This proof-of-concept project proposes a rapid, low-cost, andminimal-waste approach to forming double curved ceramic components through a novel approach to Ceramic Incremental Forming (CIF), using a 6-axis industrial robot, a passive flexible mold, and a custom ball-rolling tool. The approach is comparable to Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) that is used for forming complex shapes with metal sheets. This method promises to achieve high-quality, ceramic building envelope components, while eliminating the need to build proprietary molds for each shape and reducing the waste in the forming process. Compared with other architectural mold-less forming methods such as clay 3D printing, the approach is more time and material efficient, while being able to achieve similar levels of complexity. Thus, CIF may offer potential for further development and industrial applications.

Wang, Y., Liu, Y., Studebaker, R., Faircloth, B., & Stuart-Smith, R. (2023). Ceramic Incremental Forming–A Rapid Mold-Less Forming Method of Variable Surfaces. In P. F. Yuan, H. Chai, C. Yan, K. Li, & T. Sun (Eds.), Hybrid Intelligence: Proceedings for the 4th Conference on Computational Design and Robotic Fabrication (CDRF 2022), 2022: 499–513. Springer Nature Singapore.

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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Ceramic Incremental Forming–A Rapid Mold-Less Forming Method of Variable Surfaces

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