Embodiments of positioning systems and methods are disclosed herein. Embodiments of such positioning systems may include a hierarchy of positioning systems. Each of the positioning systems in the hierarchy may be adapted to move each positioning system lower in the hierarchy along with one or more end-effectors. A control system may control the positioning systems of the hierarchy using a control method comprising a coarse step, a refinement step, or an adaptive step.

The invention relates to a method and a construction and/or a materials-handling machine for guiding and moving a working head, in particular a 3D print head, wherein at least three revolving tower cranes are attached to each other with their booms, wherein according to one aspect of the invention a guide beam carrying the working head is attached to at least two trolleys of two revolving tower cranes, and the working head is adjusted and moved in its working position by moving the trolleys along two booms of two revolving tower cranes.

This disclosure relates to a distribution boom for stationary or mobile viscous material pumps, comprising at least one boom arm having a box profile. The boom arm has two side walls which are arranged at a distance from one another and which are connected to one another by means of two transverse walls which are arranged at a distance from one another. Each side wall has a lead-through opening for a conveying line. Provision is made according to this disclosure for there to extend between the side walls a tube which is fixedly connected thereto and which opens by way of the tube ends thereof into the lead-through openings. Between the tube ends and the adjacent side wall there is arranged a respective flange which projects in an encircling manner over an outer border of the respective tube end and is welded both to the tube end and to the side wall in question.

This disclosure relates to a distribution boom for stationary or mobile viscous material pumps, comprising at least one boom arm having a box profile. The boom arm has two side walls which are arranged at a distance from one another and which are connected to one another by means of two transverse walls which are arranged at a distance from one another. Each side wall has a lead-through opening for a conveying line. Provision is made according to this disclosure for there to extend between the side walls a tube which is fixedly connected thereto and which opens by way of the tube ends thereof into the lead-through openings. Between the tube ends and the adjacent side wall there is arranged a respective flange which projects in an encircling manner over an outer border of the respective tube end and is welded both to the tube end and to the side wall in question.

Embodiments of positioning systems and methods are disclosed herein. Embodiments of such positioning systems may include a hierarchy of positioning systems. Each of the positioning systems in the hierarchy may be adapted to move each positioning system lower in the hierarchy along with one or more end-effectors. A control system may control the positioning systems of the hierarchy using a control method comprising a coarse step, a refinement step, or an adaptive step.

A parallel robotic manipulator for generating 3 dimensional structures includes a set of redeployable towers adapted to transport one or more cables, and at least one drive source operable to draw or traverse the cables across a rendering area. An end-effector suspended from the cables is operable to deposit extrudate onto the rendering area, and a nozzle in the end-effector is configured to selectively deposit the extrudate at predefined locations based on the position of the cable. A control unit has control logic for directing the drive source, in which the cables are responsive to the drive source for disposing the end-effector either along the cables or drawn and extended from the towers. An extrudate reservoir and a pump in fluidic communication with the reservoir allows the pump to force the extrudate for deposition at the predefined location responsive to the control logic.

A method for manufacturing a tower structure, the method including printing and depositing, with at least one variable-width deposition nozzle of a printhead assembly, one or more layers of at least one wall element of the tower structure, the at least one wall element having an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface. The method also including forming, with the at least one variable-width deposition nozzle, at least one void into the at least one wall element. The method also including placing at least one reinforcement member within the at least one void so as to position the at least one reinforcement member closer to a neutral axis of the at least one wall element than at least one of the outer circumferential surface or the inner circumferential surface.

Material delivery systems as well as systems and methods relating thereto are disclosed. In an embodiment, the material delivery system includes a tank to hold water therein. In addition, the material delivery system includes a hopper to hold dry ingredients of the extrudable building material therein. Further, the material delivery system includes a mixing unit to receive water from the tank and dry ingredients from the hopper. The mixing unit includes an agitator to mix the water and the dry ingredients together to form the extrudable building material. Still further, the material delivery system includes a controller coupled to the agitator that is to: measure a load imparted to the agitator by the extrudable building material, add additional water to the mixing unit when the load is above a first threshold, and add additional dry ingredients to the mixing unit when the load is below a second threshold.

A method of constructing a tower is provided, the method including the steps of A: providing an elevation means including a dynamic engaging mechanism realized to engage with a tower surface B: arranging a 3D printing device on the elevation means); C: actuating the dynamic engaging mechanism to effect a vertical elevation of the elevation means; D: actuating the 3D printing device to deposit an essentially horizontal material layer including at least a tower body region; E: repeating steps C and D to obtain a tower structure. A tower constructed using such a method, and a 3D tower printing apparatus, is also provided.

A work device has a stationary or movable frame which has a substructure fixed to the frame, a rotating head rotatable about a vertical rotational axis on a bearing block of the substructure by a drive mechanism, and an extension arm mounted on a bearing point of the rotating head in a pivotal manner about a horizontal pivot axis. A hydraulic cylinder piston unit has ends fixed to the cylinder and to the piston rod and hinged to hinge points on the extension-arm side and on the rotating-head side with a horizontal hinge axis. The rotating head has a base section arranged on the bearing block and an adapter piece including the bearing point for the extension arm and the hinge point on the rotating-head side for the cylinder piston unit. The base section and the adapter piece can be removably coupled to each other via a separating point.