Closed loop cementous mixing and feeding system development

The main problem being addressed is the current lack of control and quality in the deposition of mixed mortar in the application of large-scale 3D printing. This is a significant issue because the properties of the mixes used depend heavily on the material ratios and mixing/pumping time. This means that slight variations can lead to blockages in the system or even collapse of the intended printed items.
Current 3D Concrete printing system use many different mix/pumping systems. Two system which are very popular are the MTEC Duo Mix 2000 Connect from MTEC, MAI®MULTIMIX-3D. Both use a dual mixing chamber design but have different styles of controls and material flow.
During our research project the intern will
1) Evaluate and document state of current technology for mixing and pumping using the MTEC and Mai systems
2) Establish simple closed loop controls for the mixing of the materials with water and additives.
3) Test ratios of target variables to evaluate their correlations and create guide curves for more accurate control
4) Link the material handling system to the material feed system and printer controller
5) Confirm proper functioning of improvements through test prints.

Faculty Supervisor:

Cristina Zanotti

Student:

Parsa Khodabakhshi

Partner:

Twente Additive Manufacturing

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Construction and infrastructure

University:

University of British Columbia