Translucent Tectonics: Lightweight Floor Slab System Based on FDM Manufacturing

A construction method for an FDM printed floor slab system is proposed in this paper. The integration of translucent thermoplastics and additive manufacturing enables architects to develop self-explanatory tectonics that reflect the logic and construction processes. Lightweight, transparent thermoplastics such as PET and PLA can be used in 3D printing to create visual contrast to conventional solid materials. The additive manufacturing process can improve structural behavior by controlling the material distribution. Therefore, the proposed floor slab system pursues ‘light and strong’ via using a carefully planned toolpath for FDM printing. An entire floor is subdivided into prefabricated modular components, which are then assembled using the post-tensioning method to improve the integrity and tensile strength of the floor system. A toolpath is designed based on the internal stress of the components such that the material density reflects the structural behavior of the floor slab. The material efficiency is thereby achieved by the optimized articulation. In addition, we maximize the continuity of the printing path to enhance the printing quality and reduce the manufacturing time. This construction method is applied to the renovation of a group of industrial buildings. Prototyping experiments were carried out using translucent PLA to visualize the material distribution inside modules, manifesting the design principle of “form follows performance”.