Hybrid 3D Printing & Milling for Acoustic Façades

As part of his Master’s thesis at RWTH Aachen University, our intern Jarry Pérez López explored the integration of 3D concrete printing (3DCP) and robotic milling to enhance the acoustic performance and surface precision of façade panels. All prototypes were designed and manufactured at Vertico’s studio in Eindhoven using our ABB IRB 6640 robotic arm and 2K MAI-Vertico printhead.

Research Goals

The study aimed to:

• Improve surface quality and geometric accuracy of 3D printed panels.
• Investigate how printing speed, layer height, and milling parameters affect sound scattering performance.
• Develop design guidelines for sustainable, acoustically optimised architectural elements.

Process

Sixteen 700 × 700 mm concrete panels were 3D printed in four design categories, varying surface periodicity (one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and incremental patterns) and wave depth (25 mm & 50 mm). Panels were tested in an anechoic chamber to measure scattering coefficients.
Two additional milled panels (M1 and M2) were produced to compare hybrid fabrication with pure 3D printing:

• M1: 8 repetitions along two axes, varying depth, based on the best-performing B-series samples.
• M2: 12 repetitions with incremental variation across two axes, inspired by the C-series designs.

Key Findings

• Two-dimensional periodic surfaces with 50 mm depth achieved the highest acoustic scattering performance, especially in omnidirectional noise diffusion.
• Milling significantly improved geometric precision and eliminated the staircase effect, allowing for sharper edges and complex geometries unachievable by printing alone.
• Green-state milling (post-printing, pre-curing) proved optimal for balancing surface refinement with material integrity.

Outcome

This hybrid manufacturing workflow demonstrated strong potential for urban noise mitigation while offering aesthetic versatility. The combination of parametric design tools and robotic fabrication enabled a seamless transition from digital concept to precisely manufactured, high-performance façade components.

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