Same sh*t, different day: Automating Manhole Production with Robotic Concrete Printing
The Problem: Manual Labor and Unsafe Conditions
Every year, the Netherlands produces over 50,000 manholes, and approximately 10% require custom flow profiles. These must currently be carved by hand — a process that’s physically demanding, time-consuming, and unsafe. Unsurprisingly, there’s a growing labor shortage for this work.
The Solution: Robotic 3D Concrete Printing and Parametric Design
In collaboration with Summum Engineering and IRS Robotics, Vertico has developed a smarter, safer alternative: a fully automated robotic system that prints manhole bases with precision directly inside prefabricated pits.
Using our 6-axis robotic arm and Accelerator 2K printhead, concrete is layered seamlessly to form custom flow profiles on demand. The entire process is driven by a user-friendly, parametric digital tool that adjusts in real-time to different pit dimensions and specifications.
Efficiency, Safety, and a Glimpse of the Future
This new approach eliminates the need for manual labor, boosts consistency, and opens the door to fully digital infrastructure production. It’s a leap forward in applying 3D printing to industrial-scale construction challenges — not just architecture.
Watch the video below to see how this system works and why we believe robotic concrete printing will reshape civil engineering workflows.
Financial support provided in part by MIT Zuid
Related Articles
Dive Into the New Era of Design with Vertico
Discover Vertico's state-of-the-art concrete 3D printing solutions that turn visionary ideas into reality.
