Modelling, Analysis and Comparison of Robot Energy Consumption for Three-Dimensional Concrete Printing Technology

The technology used for the 3D printing of buildings from concrete is currently a very relevant and developing topic and appears to be especially advantageous in terms of sustainable production. An important aspect of the sustainability assessment is the energy efficiency of the printing robots. Printing robots consume a significant amount of energy when printing. It is important to analyse this energy thoroughly and to be able to predict it in order to optimise the movement and control of printing robots to reduce energy consumption. In that paper, we analyse in detail the energy consumption of printing robots, which has not yet been thoroughly investigated in the context of 3D printing building applications. We present a methodology to develop an energy consumption model for a printing robot, specifically developed and optimized for this technology. Our methodology incorporates an innovative approach to determine reduced-efficiency maps, allowing for the inclusion of difficult-to-measure drive efficiency parameters in the model. This results in a comprehensive model of the energy consumption of the printing robot, reflecting its operating characteristics in a real-world environment. An open control system of the printing robot is used for the measurement of energy quantities, and specially developed software tools are introduced. We also present the first direct comparison of the energy consumption of different printing robots when following a uniform printing trajectory. The comparison is made based on the presented methodology to obtain and compare actual energy data from workplaces with printing robots. The methodology combines measured data with energy simulations from ABB RobotStudio, enabling energy comparisons between industrially articulated robots and real printing robots, including the ABB IRB4600, the gantry printing robot, and the printing robot. The experiments clearly demonstrate that the kinematic structure of printing robots significantly affects their energy consumption in 3D printing concrete. Based on the conducted methodologies and analyses, we identify key aspects of energy consumption of printing robots in 3D Construction Printing or 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) technology. In doing so, we bring a new perspective and provide a basis for further research and development in this previously understudied area.