Non-Actuated Multipin Adjustable Mould with a Collaborative Robot Towards Waste Reduction

An adjustable mould system for vacuum forming, carbon fibre reinforced polymer winding, metal sheet forming, and concrete casting can increase production speed while lowering production costs, even for short runs. However, a typical adjustable mould is based on single-direction multi-pin stretch-forming processes, where each pin is actuated. This creates a complex, high-maintenance, heavy system often designed for a single purpose. This paper presents a novel machine-machine setup utilising a collaborative robot with a non-actuated multipin mould designed for both concrete casting and filament winding. The filament winding experiment is presented in this paper to explain the functioning of the tool and how it creates an autopoietic, integrated data environment. Although the device is still in the early stages of development, the physical outcomes demonstrated the feasibility of creating a non-actuated multi-pin system. This approach moves closer to achieving the goal of an adjustable mould system-minimising design and construction waste while reducing costs and labour in the production of complex synclastic and anticlastic façade panels. The paper highlights the benefits of human-machine and machine-machine collaboration in achieving humanistic computation and intelligence.