ABSTRACT
Tubular steel components are often used in the construction sector to build light weight, architecturally appealing, free-form structures. However, they require challenging complex joints design which can compromise the integrity of the whole structure, and the current assembling techniques are convenient but not resource efficient. Thus, we proposed nodes optimisation in geometry and assembling for safer and resource-efficient steel structures by joining traditional regular shaped components (e.g. columns and beams) with printed steel nodes. This study compared the production processes of two tubular joints designed for the same structure, but for different manufacturing techniques: the well known traditional manufacturing and metal 3D printing. We performed a Life Cycle Inventory analysis on both the design alternatives to study their energy consumption, their scraps from production and CO2 emissions. Results showed that the use of printed nodes can save 90% of scraps, and 45% of CO2 emissions from transportation.
