COBOD debuts smart concrete printing system with enhanced capabilities

A research collaboration between COBOD International and Technische Universität Braunschweig has led to the unveiling of a new multifunctional construction robot designed to reshape concrete construction through enhanced automation and versatility.

Presented during the Digital Construction Site launch at TU Braunschweig’s Digital Construction Site (DCS), the new robot integrates 3D printing with additional capabilities including rebar handling, formwork positioning, and vertical element placement. This development marks a step forward in the push toward more efficient, digitally integrated building systems.

The robot was developed through the partnership between COBOD and the university’s Institute for Structural Design (ITE) and Institute of Construction Management and Construction Operations (IBB), supported by the research initiative “The Digital Construction Site – Construction Industry 4.0 as the Key to Digital and Sustainable Construction.”

At the demonstration, the team showcased how the system could fabricate double-curved concrete walls reinforced with rebar cages, with the robot handling both printing and integration processes. A flexible control system allows for tool changes on the fly, enabling the use of other attachments like welding arms or pick-and-place tools.

“This project will help us gain critical data for future implementation at scale,” said Prof. Norman Hack, who leads research at ITE. “The robot now enables the handling of more complex geometries with greater precision.”

Industry experts noted that this robot could represent a key evolution in automating high-mix, low-volume concrete construction processes, combining formwork automation, 3D printing, and modular production in a unified workflow.