Key Technologies and Applications of 3D Printing Robots for Civil Engineering

Abstract

Traditional civil engineering construction is restricted by low efficiency, limited moulding capacity, and potential safety hazards. This paper systematically reviews the key technologies, application boundaries, and core bottlenecks of 3D printing robots in civil engineering. It sorts out the evolution process from conceptual research to diversified configuration applications and analyses the coupling mismatch between material rheological properties and extrusion control in depth. From theoretical and engineering perspectives, it compares and analyses path planning, real-time perception, and multi-robot cooperative control technologies. By matching technical characteristics with practical application scenarios, the scope of application for factory prefabrication, special-shaped structure construction, and emergency reinforcement is defined. Finally, the five fundamental bottlenecks restricting the industrialisation of this technology are summarised, including the lack of a special configuration design theory, the disconnection between material and robot design, the blind spots in intelligent control, an insufficient level of multi-robot collaboration, and an incomplete standard evaluation system.