Fused Filament Fabrication Printer Modifed to Dispense Cement Paste for Concrete Additive Manufacturing Studies

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Civil Engineering
• Manufacturing Technology

Background:

• Additive manufacturing (AM) using cement-based materials offers transformative potential for concrete construction.
• Successful AM concrete construction hinges on precise control over material rheology during placement.
• Challenges include ensuring adequate flow upon extrusion and sufficient stiffening for subsequent layers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the rheological properties of cementitious materials for additive manufacturing.
• To adapt a commercial 3-D printer for dispensing cement paste mixtures.
• To provide publicly available modifications for research facilitation.

Main Methods:

• Modification of a bench-top fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3-D printer.
• Integration of a custom pumping system.
• Development of firmware and software adjustments for hardware compatibility.

Main Results:

• Successful adaptation of a 3-D printer for cement paste extrusion.
• Calibration of machine movements and extrusion volumes.
• Public release of modified software and configuration files.

Conclusions:

• The modified 3-D printer facilitates the study of cementitious material rheology for AM.
• Precise control over material properties is crucial for advancing AM in concrete construction.
• Open-access modifications support further research and development in this field.