334: Synchronized Dual-Robot Hot-Wire Cutting: Enabling Mass Customization of Architectural Concrete Formwork

The fabrication of complex concrete formwork presents significant challenges in architectural construction, particularly in terms of efficiency, material sustainability, and production time. Conventional fabrication techniques, such as manual cutting and CNC milling, often generate excessive waste and prolong production times. Robotic hot-wire cutting (RHWC) has emerged as a viable alternative, particularly for expanded polystyrene (EPS) formwork used in precast concrete. Employing a coordinated dual-robot system enables a 75% reduction in fabrication time, over 90% material utilization, and ±2 mm dimensional accuracy across 68 bespoke formwork pieces. The research demonstrates how task-specialized multi-robot collaboration can transform architectural fabrication, enabling mass customization of geometrically complex concrete structures while maintaining industrial efficiency standards.