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Loughborough University

Loughborough University
Leicestershire, UK
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The View - Autumn / Winter 2007

Dr Rupert Soar holding a model building

Constructing a revolution

Picture the scene – an army of robotic termites are released onto Mars to create a space station. Using the red planet’s own soil they will build a structure so complex that it will be able to sustain human life in one of the most inhospitable environments. A work of science fiction? Not according to Dr Rupert Soar, a Rapid Manufacturing (RM) pioneer based in Loughborough University’s Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering.

Twelve years ago Rupert Soar had a ‘eureka’ moment – he was introduced to the amazing capabilities of RM and, in his own words, ‘everything changed’.

“It was as if someone had set off a rocket inside me – I felt inspired by the endless possibilities this technology could bring to the world and have dedicated the last 12 years of my professional life making them a reality.”

But what is RM and why is it so important? “Put simply RM allows you to print physical parts – just as you would print words onto a piece of paper,” Rupert explains. “It works by breaking down a 3D computeraided- design (CAD) model into 2D sections, which are then built up layer by layer by high tech robotic machines.

“Traditionally products have been made up of a number of separate components which are then put together by factory tools or by hand – the more complex the product the more difficult and time consuming the manufacture of it is. The beauty of RM is that it can create the most complex of structures in one single process, simply by transforming a 3D computer design into a physical part.”

Loughborough University and its Rapid Manufacturing Research Group is recognised as a world leader in the field of RM – helping to put this amazing technology in the global spotlight. It is currently developing RM techniques for use in a number of different areas, from the aerospace and automotive industries, to sports clothing and medical implants.

Rupert’s expertise is in RM and construction. His reputation in this field, and that of the University, has helped him to secure a £2.5 million grant to enable him to build a RM machine that can, quite literally, print a house.

The project is being supported by the University’s Innovative Manufacturing and Construction Research Centre (IMCRC) and other industry partners. The IMCRC, which is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), undertakes cutting-edge research to enhance the processes, products, and competitiveness of the UK’s manufacturing and construction industries. Dr Soar’s latest project will also bring together experts from across the University, including specialists in civil and building engineering.

“A barrier to unleashing the full potential of RM in the construction sector is the creation of a ‘printer’ capable of working on such a large scale and ‘printing’ in an appropriate material,” Rupert said. “At Loughborough University we already have several machines capable of printing smaller physical parts from CAD models, but nothing on a big enough scale to print a house. Now we are ready to take RM to the next level.”

The Loughborough research team have started constructing a giant rig, which will support the high tech equipment needed to rapidly manufacture buildings and other large-scale projects.

Over the next four years they will create a machine that will revolutionise the construction industry.

“Initially we are developing a rig that can ‘print’ a room, using a cement or gypsum-based solution – clearly if you have the technology in place to do this, then you have the technology to ‘print’ an entire house,” Rupert added. “But the most important aspect of this research is not the four walls we will create, but what is contained within these walls.

“Using traditional construction techniques you erect a shell and then the electrician comes in, and then the plumber and so on. We are not going to build a shell, but a complete unit that includes all the services you would need already built into the walls. In one single process your house would be complete.

“We can achieve this because RM simply replicates what we design on a computer. If we include in our computer model services for heating and electricity, then the RM machines will create these. This also opens up endless possibilities for the design of buildings. In the past we have been limited by time, costs and what the human hand could physically build – with a computer you do not have these constraints. If you want a house that includes gothic carvings, with turrets and elaborate staircases, no problem. If you want an exact copy of Posh and Becks’ palace, scan it and print it.”

Dr Soar’s work does not stop at aesthetics. He has also conducted extensive research into the sustainability of construction and how to reduce waste and electricity use in buildings by employing RM techniques. Three years ago he travelled to Namibia to learn from some of nature’s most talented builders – African termites. During his visit he scanned a Macrotermes michealseni termite mound, capturing the world’s first images of inside these spectacular structures.

The termite-built towers, standing as high as five metres, epitomise buildings that have been optimised for the harsh surroundings they are located in, displaying incredible feats of self-regulation to provide a constant living environment in which the termites can thrive. The mounds incorporate a complicated network of tunnels and air conduits designed to channel airflow for the control of internal air quality, temperature and moisture levels. The human equivalent of these ‘smart’ mounds would be buildings that meet all energy, waste management and other needs on site.

“From the work we carried out in Namibia we have already learnt a great deal about how the termites build these complex mounds and regulate their own environment,” Rupert explains. “However to mimic some of their techniques, for example by incorporating intricate underground tunnels in buildings to create natural ventilation, is not possible or practical using traditional construction methods. With RM we can create immensely complex structures so the time is now right to learn from nature and make the most of passive energy sources, including wind and solar power, in human structures.”

The Namibia research has also given new insights into how termites work together as a team to create the mounds necessary for their survival. This has opened up further avenues for the Loughborough team to explore in relation to the creation of extremely large rapidly manufactured structures for off-world habitats.

“When you are trying to build massive structures it gets increasingly difficult to create a robotic ‘printer’ that is big enough,” Rupert comments. “The next step in developing RM techniques is to look at other ways of ‘printing’. One possibility is to create an army of hundreds of thousands of small robotic termites, which use the exact same behavioural algorithms as real termites to create a structure of any size and complexity. This army of robots would not only build the habitat, but then maintain it from the inside of the structure, in accordance to the constant changing requirements of the occupants within. In this way we imagine the building as sustaining itself and its occupants, by having a level of self-awareness.

“As we start to look at the habitation of other planets it is simply not practical to send bricklayers onto Mars, nor is it practical to send a giant robotic ‘printer’. But an army of miniscule robots that can work in the most hostile of environments – that is a real option.”

The development of RM may seem like a distant dream to many people, yet Rupert believes the widespread introduction and use of this technology is not light years away.

“If you look at this on a 25-year time scale we are very much in the initial stages,” he said. “At Loughborough over the next two to four years we will be demonstrating the capabilities of this technology by creating a working prototype. By the 10-year mark we would be looking to have this prototype ready for commercialisation, working with more industry partners to see this technology perfected for use in the construction sector. At 15 years in we would hope to see other processes using RM developed and at 20 years buildings being created by RM machines. Ultimately, within 25 years I would expect the use of this technology to be widespread.”

The work being carried out by Rupert and Loughborough University’s construction and building services experts will have an immense impact on the global construction industry. International leaders in architecture, house building and general construction are working with the University to ensure the UK, and the world, benefit from this amazing technology. From resolving the issue of affordable housing in England, addressing the accommodation needs of third-world countries and creating more environmentally friendly structures, RM may have the capability to overcome these problems.

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