Robotic Texture Weaving

This work explores designing and programming a KUKA robot’s movements to create specific patterns and textures, as well as experimenting with material and color. The objective was to investigate how the robot’s precision and flexibility can be utilized to create intricate and unique surface textures on 3D-printed objects. A simple vase form was desconstructed in Grasshopper and a generative workflow was developed to create toolpaths for the extruded surfaces.  A custom pellet extruder end effector and heated build plate were utilized to extrude a carbon fiber reinforced and a clear PETG. The resulting objects showcase the potential of robotic extrusion in the creation of visually and tactilely engaging 3D printed objects with a wide range of applications in design, art, and engineering.