Tongji team builds spiderweb-inspired 6-axis robotic 3D printer with self-supporting structures
lukas_m_ziegler · x · 2026-10-10
Designers at Tongji University in Shanghai developed a 6-axis robotic 3D printer inspired by spiderwebs, built on a KUKA robot with a movable-printhead end-effector controlled by an Arduino-based system with precise temperature and extrusion control.
- Uses a spindle-knot extrusion technique enabling self-supporting structures and greater spatial flexibility than layer-based printing
- The work-in-progress project merges design and fabrication, drawing on the biomimetic strength of spider silk
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