TOPOFORM – ROBOTIC PRINTING OF LARGE-SCALE TOPOLOGY OPTIMISED COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION FORMWORK

Introduction

Concrete is a key enabler for creating an affordable, inclusive, and climate-resilient built environment. However, the use of concrete contributes a massive 8% of global GHG emissions.

The Challenge

Topology Optimisation offers a pathway to reduce emissions now, by using up to 70% less concrete to achieve the same structural performance while unlocking design innovation. Yet, contractors typically opt for more affordable and predictable rectangular designs that require only standard formwork (i.e., moulds) panels, resulting in a massive overuse of concrete.

Key Challenges in Adopting Topology Optimisation

The challenge to adopting Topology Optimisation is three-fold:

1. Typical timber-based specialty formworks are heavy and difficult to connect to standard formwork panels, resulting in excessive and hazardous manual work to assemble/disassemble.
2. Plywood tends to deform in moist conditions, requiring costly onsite repair.
3. Formwork may be reused 7-20 times before being incinerated or landfilled.

In Europe alone, this generates over 180 million tons of unnecessary waste that emits over 756,000 tons of CO2e annually.

Our Solution

Our TopoForm system is revolutionising global concrete construction by delivering specialty formwork at a radically lower price, much faster to assemble/disassemble on-site, and upcyclable/recyclable through our proprietary take-back service.

Advantages of TopoForm

TopoForm leverages our patented technology for robotic 3D-printing of lightweight composite formwork that is:

• 52% cheaper
• 5x lighter
• 30% to 60% lower embodied GHG footprint

We have validated TopoForm’s superior performance and customers’ willingness to pay with our first two lead-customer projects in Denmark.

Company Background

Since founding in 2012, Odico A/S has been an established pioneer in construction robotics. We now aim to scale up our TopoForm formwork technology that will accelerate the New European Bauhaus and EU Green Deal targets.

Future Goals

By 2028, Odico will bring TopoForm specialty formwork to construction projects across Europe and beyond, reaching dedicated revenues of €82.5 million and 80 total new employees.