Automated Manhole Printing: A Smarter Way to Shape Flow Profiles

Why Custom Manhole Profiles Are Still Made by Hand

In the Netherlands alone, over 50,000 manholes are produced each year — and around 10% require custom flow profiles.

These profiles are currently shaped manually, making the process:

• Physically demanding
• Time-consuming
• Hazardous to workers

And as expected, there’s a growing shortage of people willing to take on such a difficult task.

Introducing Robotic 3D Concrete Printing for Manhole Interiors

Together with Summum Engineering and IRS Robotics, we developed a safer, scalable alternative:
robotically printed custom manhole profiles inside existing precast pits. Using advanced motion control and material logic, our robots layer concrete with high precision — directly into the base of each manhole.

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This eliminates the need for:

• Human access into tight, unsafe spaces
• Manual shaping and smoothing of complex geometries
• Time-consuming finishing work

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How It Works: Parametric Design Meets On-Pit Printing

This system is powered by our parametric digital tool, which:

• Adapts in real time to different pit sizes and pipe locations
• Outputs custom toolpaths to the robot
• Ensures smooth, functional flow every time
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No rework. No guesswork. Just plug in the specs and print.

This workflow is part of our full setup — from digital input to robotic execution. Explore how to build your own 3D concrete printer setup and start automating smarter.

The Bigger Picture: Scaling Smart Infrastructure

This method bridges the gap between:

• Traditional precast methods (fast, cheap)
• And fully printed components (flexible but slower)
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Instead of reinventing the entire system, we enhance what already works — adding smart automation where it matters most.

With this, we move toward safer jobs, better infrastructure, and more sustainable construction.