What is the difference between additive and subtractive robotic fabrication in architecture?

Additive robotic fabrication, such as robotic 3D printing, builds up material layer by layer based on a programmed toolpath, allowing complex geometries and material hybridization to be constructed without formwork. Subtractive robotic fabrication, such as six-axis robotic milling, removes material from a block or composite mass using a cutting tool guided by toolpath data. In architecture, combining both within a single workflow allows designers to exploit the structural and aesthetic properties of each technique, which is the core focus of this workshop using KUKA robotic arms programmed through KUKA PRC and Grasshopper.

What does the EcoFusion: Robotic Manufacturing workshop at PAACADEMY cover?

The workshop covers three interconnected topics: natural material hybrids, examining the ecology and structural behavior of natural materials and their influence on robotic fabrication; multi-materiality, exploring the hybridization of natural and synthetic materials in component-based architecture and its aesthetic and functional implications; and 3D resolution through fabrication, where toolpathing is treated as a design methodology rather than a post-design step. Participants learn fabrication-based geometric design, geometry-to-toolpath translation, and points-and-planes-to-robotics-code translation using KUKA PRC inside Grasshopper.

What prior experience do I need for the EcoFusion robotic fabrication workshop?

Participants must have advanced knowledge of Rhinoceros 3D and at least basic familiarity with Grasshopper before the workshop begins. All software, including Rhinoceros, Grasshopper, KUKA PRC, and Termite, must be installed and ready before the first session. The workshop introduces KUKA PRC as the primary tool for simulating and operating KUKA robotic arms, so prior robotic fabrication experience is not required, but comfort with computational geometry in Rhino and Grasshopper is essential.

What will I produce through the EcoFusion robotic fabrication workshop?

Working in groups of 2 to 4, participants will develop a set of architectural component designs, including facade panels, columns, or structural elements, developed through a fabrication-led workflow in Grasshopper with KUKA PRC simulation. The output includes geometry generated with robotic production constraints in mind, toolpath data translated into robotic code for KUKA arms, and design proposals that integrate natural and synthetic material hybridization as a core aesthetic and structural strategy.

Dec 14 & 15, 202412 lessonsBeginner

FREE with Full Access Workshop Beginner 12 lessons 5.0 Rating

EcoFusion: Robotic Manufacturing

Name: EcoFusion: Robotic Manufacturing
Price: 93.50 EUR
Availability: InStock

EcoFusion: Robotic Manufacturing is a 2-day workshop on PAACADEMY that explores the integration of natural and synthetic materials through robotic digital fabrication. Using Rhinoceros 3D, Grasshopper 3D, KUKA PRC, and Termite, participants learn geometry toolpath generation, robotic 3D printing, and six-axis robotic milling to design architectural components including facade panels and columns. Advanced Rhino knowledge and basic Grasshopper experience are required.

This course includes

Live workshop · 7h 1m
Lifetime session recordings
Certificate of completion
4 design tools
Private Discord community
Included with Full Access

From preservation to sustainability, Going forward, design will benefit significantly from the hybridities that emerge from the misalignments of materiality, design methodologies, and fabrication techniques. The workshop will cover crucial design concepts directly dealing with building materials and construction, focusing specifically on the evolution and design of architectural components such as columns, facade panels, and roof systems. We will try to find answers that influence design decision-making within the behavior of natural materials, the plasticity of synthetic material, the intricacies of components entanglement, and the resolution of the robotic fabrication process.

Digital fabrication design for immediate geometry generation.
Merging natural and synthetic materials to explore hybrid aesthetics.
Fundamentals of translating complex geometry into robotics code.
Workflow from design to robotic fabrication using additive and subtractive techniques.
Development of architectural components like columns and facade panels.

The workshop will explore merging additive and subtractive manufacturing through robotics fabrication. It will cover the basics of fabrication-based geometric design, robotics 3D printing, and six-axes robotics milling. We will cover the basics of geometry tool path translation into points and planes and the translation of points and planes into robotics code. It is an attempt to speculate on ecological components and fabrication-based design that is only guided by the potentials and the limitations of the fabrication tools as well as promoting eco-friendly materiality through digital design and robotics fabrication.

This workshop will focus on designing architectural components such as facade panels, columns, and structural components. Participants must have advanced knowledge of Rhino and basic knowledge of Grasshopper. The workshop will introduce the KUKA PRC Grasshopper plugin to simulate and operate the KUKA robotic arms directly. This workshop will cover three primary topics within digital design and robotics fabrication:

Natural Material Hybrids: We will discuss the ecology and behavior of natural materials, their structural properties, and their influence on robotics and digital fabrication.
Multi-materiality: We will discuss the transitional phase that requires us to hybridize naturally with synthetic materials in a component-based architecture and its aesthetic implications for design and functionality.
3D Resolution through Fabrication: We will explore the role of toolpathing as a design methodology, enhancing the autonomy of digital fabrication tools, particularly robotics.

1. Intro + PAACADEMY Updates