Automation in Construction 21 (2012) 114–120

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Automation in Construction
j o u r n a l h o m e p a g e : w w w. e l s ev i e r. c o m / l o c a t e / a u t c o n

Cradle molding device: An automated CAD/CAM molding system for manufacturing

composite materials as customizable assembly units for rural application☆
K. Griffith a,⁎, R. Williams b, T. Knight a, L. Sass a, A. Kamath a
a
Department of Architecture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue 9.269, Cambridge, MA 02193, United States
b
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: This paper highlights a method of using open-source CAD (Computer Aided Design) software and CAM
Accepted 29 May 2011 (Computer Aided Manufacturing) in the manufacturing of building assembly systems. With the increase use
Available online 3 July 2011 of CAD/CAM technologies, and internet access on a global scale, we investigate open platforms to improve
global production of modular systems and tackle fundamental building manufacturing systems for global
Keywords:
application. This paper, examines a method of producing designs from conception to manufacture, using
CAD/CAM
CNC
custom algorithms written in open-source CAD software. This system is geared primarily for the construction
Assembly systems of buildings using moldable composite materials for housing developments in urban and rural regions in
Reverse engineering developing countries. The objective of this research is to create a system that is flexible for influencing and
Open-source incorporating culture, design preference, and geographical innovation. A cradle molding device for
Global manufacturing manufacturing assembly systems was developed for producing block assemblies from moldable composites
such as concrete, cob, and poured earth.
© 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction using a top-down approach rather than building a sustainable

Technology aided manufacturing and construction practices have
had major application difficulties or are non-existent in developing
countries. Precise construction systems are very difficult to imple-
ment without the correct infrastructure [4,5] and therefore have had
very limited reach. CAD/CAM construction processes are predomi-
nantly utilized in developed countries, and as a result there is limited
access for development practices in underserved and less developed
countries. Construction and manufacturing methods used in devel-
oping countries such as the shanty towns in South Africa are restricted
to conventional methods that usually illustrate a juxtaposition of
materials for shelter that do not provide sustainable living conditions.
Due to limited or lack of long term resources, with regards to the
maintenance and ongoing utilization, the current approaches for
production in developing countries adhere to the rule of investing
substantial capital for building infrastructures that are not guaranteed
for longevity. The “development” process involves design, engineer-
ing, and the application of technologies that are applied within the
stages of construction; however, these are stripped away after
production is complete. Such development strategies are structured
bottom-up approach. There is no sustained value as the technologies
are removed when the development processes have met the deadline,
and therefore offer the end product rather than an endogenous
solution for a sustained development model. There are limited
examples that prove the process of external models to be sustainable
systems; therefore they fall in the category of exogenous technology
application. There is greater need for systems that offer ways of
building infrastructure through repeatable production using accessi-
ble and precision-driven technologies to mitigate the absence of
professional labor. Over the last decade with the increased availability
of computer technology in developing countries as described by
Gershenfeld [3], the use of CAD/CAM integrated systems in the
construction industry for the production of modular systems has good
potential for replacing the conventional modular construction
methods. Also it has the major advantage of the relaxation of the
requirement for strict quality control in repetitive production. In
addition Intelligent Building Automation Systems can affect the
energy profile of a building [18]. This research explores CAD/CAM
technologies to investigate endogenous methods of production using
an automated layered manufacturing system for computing molds
with open-source software.

☆ This paper was conducted in collaboration with the University of the West Indies. 1.1. Layered manufacturing
The methodology discussed in this paper was carried out in the labs of MIT,
subsequently transferred to the University of the West Indies where extensive
production and tests were undertaken.
Most methods of Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) layered
⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: + 1 716 390 2357 manufacturing are restricted to scales smaller than actual buildings, not
E-mail address: kenfield@mit.edu (K. Griffith). feasible for scaled production [1]. An alternative will be the division of

0926-5805/$ – see front matter © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2011.05.019
 K. Griffith et al. / Automation in Construction 21 (2012) 114–120
the building form into interlocking assembly components to be
manufactured using existing CNC technologies. In addition, most CNC
fabrication methods are limited to rigid materials that have difficulty
with intricate shapes and design variations [16]. However, one solution
we investigated in the current research is the production of molds using
flat-stock materials for universal application. Subsequently, the molds
can be used to cast different building components from different
composite materials. In this paper, we use the term composite to specify
mixtures such as adobe, cob, concrete mix, or poured earth; a mix that
can be poured with a similar viscosity rate as a mix of cement and water
at 2:1, but hardens when cured. This paper examines the general steps
that can be taken to apply CNC fabrication to a building assembly system
(Fig. 1) for urban and rural application. The goal is to produce the
manufacturing logistics for simple and complex design geometries that
are sufficiently flexible to incorporate the cultural influences of global
communities, ultimately promoting design innovation.
The method discussed in this paper investigates both a laminated
object manufacturing (LOM) [1] approach and direct geometry
slicing [13]. However, this process eliminates the need for additional
materials or adhesives used in the traditional LOM processes for
binding. A generic method for the production of molds was
developed that can be used with moldable composites such as
concrete mix and adobe mixes. This paper highlights a few
interchangeable terminologies: digital fabrication, CNC manufactur-
ing, and rapid prototyping which all use computer-driven data for
manufacturing physical parts and assembly systems.
1.2. Masonry units
In the latter part of the 20th century, 3D product models were
investigated to increase the use of building design information,
especially dimensional control and identification [9].
To accommodate various services in a building, i.e. piping and
electrical wiring etc., masonry construction often necessitates the
provision of cells or chases in the units. Provision for chases in
masonry is present in the ACI 530-08, Building code Requirement and
Specifications for Masonry Structures [7,17]. With automated inte-
grated systems, the Architect has the advantage of custom design for
the modules to accommodate the required installations. In general,
chases tend to reduce the compressive strength, and in turn the
seismic load carrying capability of the units, therefore a customized
approach using CAD/CAM integrated systems to designing modules to
accommodate services seem to be a viable alternative.
In the last decade several research projects has been carried out, to
develop masonry units with combined mechanical and thermal
efficiency so that the unit can be applied to various climatic and seismic
regions. One of the most recent is by Lourenco et al. [6]. The general idea
is the replacement of concrete frames by structural masonry.
In the developing of automated integrated systems for structural
masonry, the novel unit proposed in this paper showed from
Fig. 1. Construction process for urban and rural application: [1] Production of molds using CAD/CAM technologies [2] Preparation and curing of molds [3] Assembly of components.
115
experimental tests, that the units exhibited adequate compressive
stress for structural purposes in zones of moderate seismicity.
It has to be mentioned also that the use of different aggregate
mixtures to produce high performance masonry units has been
investigated in the past, i.e. by Demirdag and Gunduz [2] and Turgut
[15]. It is also to be noted that in the study by Turgut, the
compressive strength of the masonry blocks was greater than
24.9 MPa which compares with the values obtained from the
experiments in this research.
As mentioned in Tomazevic et al. [14], if brittle units are used for
the construction of structural walls, the seismic performance of the
wall is greatly compromised, and the design load capacity is
overestimated. As discussed in the results section of this paper,
the failure mode was more of a “ductile” pattern than a local brittle
mode, thus enhancing the applicability of the units in moderate
seismic zones.
With regards to the determination of the seismic capacity of
masonry units, various methods have been put forward. These
methods are generally risk assessment tools for structural systems,
and can be used for probabilistic estimation of seismic losses, and aids
in seismic risk reduction. These methods make use of structural
reliability analysis and fragility analysis, [8,19]. These methods take
into account the non-linear behavior of masonry structures.
2. Materials and methods
An automated process was used to physically manufacture molds
from flat-stock material. The research conducted in this paper
employs a low-grade ½″ CDX plywood material, ½″ straight edge,
equine recyclable rubber material, Quikrete ® concrete mix, a Techno
LC Series CNC router, Rhinoceros 4.0 scripting, Ruby scripting, HTML,
and Google Sketchup API environment, and level vials.
The molding process starts after the design is generated as 3D
geometry, then reduced to 2D layers using a layered manufacturing
algorithm developed in this paper. The 2D information is created for
physical production on CNC devices such as lasercutters or routers.
Sass and Oxman describes the process as materialization [12]: a
transformation of a 3D shape or set of 3D shapes designed in a CAD
environment to 2D geometries for cutting (Fig. 2) using CAM [11].
2.1. Experiment
Tests were carried out on molds to produce hollow cube samples.
The major constraint examined in this study is the material
thicknesses of the plywood and rubber materials which can be
variable to reflect the generic use of the system for universal
application. The process illustrates the translation of data for an
initial 3D shape produced in a CAD environment to a finished physical
product using both a lasercutter and a router. The advantage of a
computable process such as the approach used is the reduction of
non-systematic steps found in legacy production. In particular, the
116 K. Griffith et al. / Automation in Construction 21 (2012) 114–120

Fig. 2. Process of materialization.

reduction of steps in measuring material for cutting is an enhance- l number of layers for mold
ment since there is a reduction in the repeated processes of rough cuts t thickness of material
and finished cuts.
hm = ½maxðzÞ–minðzÞ ð1Þ
2.2. Mold calculation for CAD geometry
wx = ½maxðxÞ + dmin −½minðxÞ–dmin  ð2Þ
A bounding box of the object was used to calculate the limits of the
object in 3D (X, Y, Z). The computation is based on the geometry in a
Cartesian coordinate modeling environment, so that the design wy = ½maxðyÞ + dmin −½minðyÞ–dmin  ð3Þ
geometry is contained within [min(x), max(x)], [min(y), max(y)], and
[min(z), max(z)]. The limits are calculated for the efficient use of
Eqs. (1), (2), and (3) Height and width calculation of mold
material. These limits translate to the width of material needed for a
structurally sound mold and the height of the mold geometry for
2.3. Lateral slicing
number of layers. In this example, we deemed the minimum distance
(dmin) between the poured composite (interior edge of mold) (mint) and
The design shape is subtracted from the 3D solid polygon using a
the exterior edge (mext) of the mold (in the X–Y plane) to be 2″. The 2″
constructive solid geometry (CSG) method. The CSG algorithm
material is the peripheral structure that contains the composite to be
calculates the intersection between the two shapes such that the
formed. Once the bounding box of the geometry is calculated, the 2″ is
remaining geometry defines the void that represents the shape of the
added to the limits to get the height and width of the mold (Eqs. (1), (2),
mold to be produced. Subsequently, the 3D mold geometry is
(3)). The offset dimension defines the maximum 3D geometry of the
processed for manufacturing using a slicing algorithm. The algorithm
mold. The limits are used to create a 3D solid polygon which is used as
intersects the mold geometry with horizontal planes 2D(X, Y)
the mold geometry to compute the numbers of layers (l) for
distributed at an equal distance apart dictated by the material
manufacture (Fig. 3).
thickness, t (Fig. 3). Since the 3D mold geometry is reoriented to the
origin (0, 0, 0), the number of lateral slicing has a direct relationship to
the height of the mold (Eq. (4)). The intersection of planes and the
hm height of mold (geometry)
mold defines the layers that are translated for production using a CNC
wx width of mold in x-direction
device.
wy width of mold in y-direction
mint interior edge of mold  
hm
mext exterior edge of mold l= ð4Þ
dmin = |mext − mint| t
minimum distance from outside edge of mold material to interior
edge of mold Eq. (4) Number of layers required for mold
 K. Griffith et al. / Automation in Construction 21 (2012) 114–120 117

Fig. 3. Bounding box to get geometry dimensions.

2.4. Production of layers for CNC manufacturing 2.5. Rocking mechanism

Each layer is translated to the origin (0, 0, 0) and subsequently
translated in an arrangement to fit in the bounding 2D (X, Y)
dimensions of the flat-stock material (4′–0″ × 8′-0″ for a CNC router,
18″ × 33″ for the lasercutter). The layout for cutting is denoted as a ‘cut
sheet’ as shown in Fig. 4. Each layer outline represents a physical layer
used to construct the mold, and is therefore cut directly from the
material. Layout orientation can be optimized, but is not investigated
in this phase of the research. The cut sheet is a computer
representation of the path of the cutting head of the CNC router.
However, the intermediate step is to translate the geometric data as
input to the CNC router. The translation process is done using
preexisting algorithms that translates geometric data into a series of
Cartesian instructions known as G-Code [10]. The CNC router is guided
by a cutting path that is calculated for each cut sheet. The cutting path
is represented in the form of G-code and instructs the position of the
drill (cutting head) within a bounded area of the material (4′–0″ × 8′–
0″). The cutting head of the router uses a subtractive method of
manufacturing; therefore the outline of each layer is removed from
the cut sheet leaving the physical geometry (layer) for assembly.
Unlike conventional layered manufacturing processes that use a
system of printing or fuse deposition, this process uses a composite
mix which is poured to form the physical object. As with any
composite mix such as concrete, the mix needs to be distributed
evenly throughout the mold. This is typically done with an agitation
mechanism such as a vibrator which vibrates molding device
distributing the composite throughout the mold. In this paper, we
developed a human-powered rocking device that allows the material
to settle in the mold. The mechanism developed has an open bed for
stacking the layers and a rocking mechanism used for agitating the
flow of the composite (Fig. 5).
The molding device may consist of a minimum of four flat
interlocking panels that are assembled together using embedded
connections. However, the number of cross-sectional panels can
increase based on how many objects are needed and are manageable.
The device has four main pieces that make up the outer structural
shell of the cradle system (Fig. 6). There are two pieces that have a
specified radius at the bottom end in the direction of rocking. The
remaining two panels interlock orthogonally with the other two

Fig. 4. Cut sheet production for lasercutter/CNC router.

118 K. Griffith et al. / Automation in Construction 21 (2012) 114–120

Fig. 5. Rocking mechanism of molding device.

panels using a sliding system that creates the rocking cradle and a
pocket for placing the layers. The rocking of the device requires
limited hand power and allows the moldable composite to settle and
form until hardened. The inner pocket volume for stacking the
molding layers is calculated based on the gauge of the material which
may have variable thicknesses. The layers are fitted to the interior
dimensions of the rocking mechanism and each consists of two
interlocking pieces. The pieces are connected using an embedded
joining system that connects a channeled notch and a protruded tab.
The two adjoining pieces for one layer construct an interior void when
stacked in elevation (Z-direction). The moldable composite is poured
in the void to create the assembly unit when cured.
The device is used to shape objects from simple orthogonal
geometries to more complex non-orthogonal geometries. The
material used for the layers is rubber polymer. The rubber polymer's
chemistry is very flexible and does not adhere to the composite
material which facilitates the ease of mold release from the assembly
units. The molding device discussed in this paper does not require
extra release tools or chemicals. The need for reuse is important in
developing countries and the device is made to be reusable and is
easily stored after disassembly. Two panels are made with handles for
assembly, disassembly, and mobility. Level vials are also manufac-
tured in the molding device for leveling the cradle after the composite
material had been poured.
The cradle molding system is adaptable and intuitive to imple-
ment. The system is designed to be adaptable to many environments
due to its simplicity of assembly and its rocking application and is
applicable to a range of uses from urban to more rural applications.
3. Results
3.1. General
After initial research was carried out in the US, the cradle molding
device was assembled and applied in Trinidad and Tobago. The
masonry units manufactured by the cradle molding device were made
up of general construction, natural aggregate, non-shrink multi-
purpose construction grout. The grout was free of inorganic
accelerators, and can be used in a wide range of applications,
including the production of masonry units.

Table 1
Compression test conducted in Trinidad and Tobago.

Sample Compressive Density Remarks

ID # strength N/ kg/m3
mm2

Sample 25.3 2042 Fully capped sample.

ID #1 Cavity filled with general
purpose grout

Sample 37.6 2058 Fully capped sample.

ID #2 Cavity filled with Rapid
hardening grout.

Sample 17.9 2000 Plain block with no filling

ID #3 of the cavity

Durability results:
(i) Water cement ratio, 0.4.
(ii) Water absorption, 0.63%.
Fig. 6. Structure shell of molding device. General block dimension, 227 mm × 75 mm × 150 mm (height).
 K. Griffith et al. / Automation in Construction 21 (2012) 114–120
Fig. 7. Block after compression test.
The compression testing done was carried out using the Mark XII
Series Triple Gauge compression machine. To be more specific, the EL
32-320 series 3000 kN Transverse Machine. The procedure adopted
was based on that outlined in the ACI 530.1/ASCE 6/TMS 602 general
procedures for masonry testing.
3.2. Observation
At the ultimate or failure load (Table 1), the masonry units failed
in typical compression failure mode with some localized crushing of
the block surface followed by predominant rupture along the weak
plane (Fig. 7).
It is to be noted and as expected that a capped block with the filled
cavity exhibited higher values of compression strength than the block
with the cavity unaltered. This observation indicates that the
interlocking mechanism of the components for assembly of the
units will create a more stable and stronger system.
The results are summarized in Table 1.
3.3. Comparison with ACI 530-02 code
For concrete masonry and as stated in the ACI code, the
compressive strength for the grout has to be in the range, 1500 psi
(10.34 MPa) to 5000 psi (34.47 MPa) as per clause 3.1.7.1.2. From the
tabulated results, the compressive strength of the tested component
was 17.9 MPa which indicates that it was well within the allowable
range. Also the compressive strength of the masonry was considered
satisfactory since the compressive strength of each wyexceeded the
values of f′m(Clause 1.14.7.1 ACI 530). According to ACI 530, the
Modulus of elasticity of the grout is to be taken as 500f′g where f′g is
the compressive strength of the grout. This is slightly more
conservative than the 900 f′m that is considered for regular masonry.
This means that serviceability requirements especially deflection
constraints, would play a critical role in the use of the components. For
the empirical design of Masonry, Table 5.4.2 ACI 530 indicates that for
Masonry of hollow load bearing units, with the compressive strength
of the unit of 2000 psi (13.79 MPa) the allowable compressive stress
for type M or S mortar is 140 psi (0.97 MPa) and for a strength of
700 psi (4.83 MPa) the allowable stress is 60 psi (0.41 MPa). There-
fore if we interpolate between the values, for the components tested
the allowable stress would have been 1.23 MPa. This is still high when
compared with traditional masonry units.
119
Fig. 8. Constructed wall using assembly system.
4. Conclusions
From the results of the tests carried out it is clear that the
components can be used in the construction of masonry structures
(Fig. 8) in most seismic zones. The implications of the blocks produced
using the cradle molding device provides several advantages when
compared with the conventional processes currently in use, i.e. the
process of manufacture produces blocks that fall within the acceptable
code requirements for masonry units and it is also a faster process
with no major variation in quality. Therefore the cradle molding
system can be used on a larger scale to manufacture commercial
standard blocks. In this research we did not experiment with the
possibilities of added material to the composite for additional
structural and strength to each unit. However, we anticipate that
future experiments can investigate how different composites can
combine to produce lightweight, environmental friendly, and a
variance of localized materials.
Acknowledgments
Research and collaboration were made possible through the
Schlossman Research Award Grant and the NSF Grant [0748992].
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[5] Waleed, et al., Development of an innovative interlocking load bearing hollow
block system in Malaysia, Construction and Building Materials 18 (2004) 445–454.