A Review of Parametric Workflows for the Digital Fabrication of Nonstandard Facade Panels

In terms of creating geometric models, converting data formats, and digital construction, the use of nonstandard facade panels is becoming more common. This brings considerable difficulties. Parametric design and digital fabrication technologies have been seen as effective ways to support the custom generation and precise production of complex building parts. Accordingly, the 'design-to-fabrication' workflow has become an important research direction that links design and manufacturing. This paper makes a systematic summary of recent progress in parametric design and digital fabrication for this type of panel, first summarizing the development of this design thinking and digital fabrication technology in architectural practice, then carrying out a fairly comprehensive investigation of existing parametric approaches and 'design-to-fabrication' applications in complex curtain wall construction. From the review results, although existing studies have made some progress in generating geometric shapes, improving performance, and individual fabrication techniques, most of the work is still limited to isolated design stages. At present, there is still a lack of complete and adaptable workflow that can integrate parametric modeling, data conversion, fabrication preparation, and automated manufacturing. This study points out the main research gaps and highlights the future potential of developing integrated digital workflows to improve the efficiency and robustness of nonstandard facade construction.