Global construction company Skanska is teaming up with Foster + Partners and the engineers at Loughborough University (LU) to create the world’s first commercial 3D concrete printing robot. The company has signed an agreement with LU, who has been working on the project since 2007, to partake in an 18-month initiative with a consortium of partners focused on developing a robot capable of printing complex structural components with concrete.
A video about LU's research on 3D concrete printing and Foster + Partner's involvement, after the break.
“3D concrete printing, when combined with a type of mobile prefabrication centre, has the potential to reduce the time needed to create complex elements of buildings from weeks to hours,” stated Skanska director Rob Francis. “We expect to achieve a level of quality and efficiency which has never been seen before in construction.”
The consortium will also include robotics firm ABB and aggregates suppliers Buchan Concrete and Lafarge Tarmac.
