THE INDUSTRY'S ROBOTICS REVOLUTION IS UNDERWAY

For years there has been an assumption that robots may take over construction. MITCHELL KELLER reports that the revolution is here, but it doesn’t look as many expected it to

ADVANCED CONSTRUCTION ROBOTICS’ (ACR) TYBOT WORKING A BRIDGE JOB IN PENNSYLVANIA, US

PHOTO: ACR

The robots have arrived, and not in the way that Isaac Asimov or H. G. Wells predicted in their science fiction novels. In fact, not (yet) in the sense that even modern speculators anticipated; a world where human workers are entirely replaced by automation and robotics.

It’s caused some to question when the ‘robot revolution’ will take place, but, in the construction industry, the movement has been ongoing and quickening this decade. Those who know where to look realise that robots and automative processes have arrived and they are playing a key role in construction’s ongoing battle to become more productive.

AN AERIAL VIEW OF AN EXCAVATOR WITH A BUILT ROBOTICS EXOSYSTEM DOING TRENCH WORK

PHOTO: BUILT ROBTICS

WHAT IS A ROBOT?

Perhaps this biggest change in recent years regarding construction robotics is determining what machines are deemed ‘robots’.

“The term ‘robotics’ often conjures images of humanoid robots,” says US-based Advanced Construction Robotics (ACR). “However, in the construction industry, robotics involves various forms of automated machinery tailored to specific tasks; [like] tying or placing rebar.” ACR’s TyBot – ‘the rebar tying robot’ – is exactly one of those automated machines, and it has close to zero human-like characteristics. “Their form and function are dictated by the requirements of the tasks they perform, rather than by an attempt to replicate human appearance or behaviours,” says ACR.

TyBot looks more like the top of a tower crane than anything, but it’s an advanced robot capable of sensing and navigating its environment without pre-mapping, calibration, or BIM input.

A BUILT ROBOTICS EXOSYSTEM ON A CATERPILLAR 336

PHOTO: BUILT ROBOTICS

Designed for the roadbuilding and bridge construction segments, TyBot specialises in tying rebar; it works at speeds in excess of 1,200 ties-per-hour using 15-lbs (6.8kg) of wire spool and can tie epoxy coated bar and black bar.

It can stretch to a width of 117 ft (35.7m) or operate as narrow as 10 ft (3.05m). A robotics supervisor accompanies the machine during its 12-hour run, after which point it requires refuelling.

Other robotic machines in the industry weren’t initially designed to be automated, but thanks to Built Robotics – a US-based utilityscale automated-equipment manufacturer – existing construction units can be outfitted with robotic capabilities.

Erol Ahmed, director of communications with Built, says, “We have something we call an Exosystem, and this is a set of software and hardware that we could put on almost any kind of heavy equipment and turn it into an autonomous machine or robot.”

Ahmed says Built has focused on using its application for dozers, vibrators, and excavators, all of which play important roles in large-scale solar panel installation.

“Solar is a very automatable kind of process,” he says. “You’re putting in hundreds of thousands of certain items on solar farms in a consistent fashion. So, it’s one of the few construction tasks that is really well aligned with what robots can do.”

Tasks like trenching and drilling, with Exosystem, can be automated using nonautomated machines, offering flexibility for contractors and rental groups that may not have capital to add newly-developed robotics. The machines’ work is as precise as a purpose-built automated unit, Ahmed says. “When we’re talking about solar construction, we’re talking about some measurements at sub-centimetre. We install at very strict tolerances, so you’re looking at a level of precision you’d expect [from a fullyautomated machine].”

While access to affordable, skilled labour also drives the robotics movement, the gains made in safety, efficiency, and circularity should also not be overlooked.

Automated machines remove workers from some of the most dangerous tasks of construction projects but can also accomplish those tasks quicker and with more precision.

“Robots work more efficiently, they are more powerful,” says Ahmed, noting Exosystem machines allow operators to monitor and react from safe distances. “It works more consistently, more safely. Those are the main benefits if you’re a contractor.”

AN ASSEMBLY LINE FOR ONX’S PREFABRICATED BATHROOM UNITS AT THEIR FACTORY LOCATED IN FLORIDA, US

PHOTOS: MITCHELL KELLER

As is the case with ACR’s TyBot, the best robotic products are ones that vastly improve safety, productivity, and sustainability compared to a like human process. TyBot, for example, can run in all weather, day or night. Danielle Proctor, CEO of ACR, says, “Our robotic solutions not only address labour shortages but also significantly improve workplace safety by taking on the most hazardous tasks, such as heavy lifting. “This reduces the risk of injuries and improves overall job satisfaction. Furthermore, by streamlining processes and reducing waste, our technologies contribute to sustainability in construction, aligning with environmental standards.”

ONX FACTORY MANAGER WALKS THROUGH A CONSTRUCTION SITE NEAR MIAMI, FLORIDA, US

A ROBOTIC DRONE AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE

PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

Perhaps some of the biggest gains in recent years have been in sensing and camera technology, a key component of remoteoperated robotics and automated machinery. Drones, which can come outfitted with this tech, are also being used more.

Mason Ford, director of sustainability and equipment services at Skanska, reveals that the sensing segment is top priority. “Our current initiative is the implementation of blind spot detection technology on every machine that we own and operate by 2025,” says Ford. This will require continued development in sensing, though. “What we’re seeing is a lot of the technology out there only focuses on identification, not avoidance,” he adds.

“We’re very close to our goal of 100% of our equipment fleet having aftermarket or factory OEM technologies on our machines, but it’s crucial for the industry as a whole to maintain momentum in advocating for ‘smarter’ equipment; machines that not only identify hazards but also take action to avoid them once identified.”

ONGOING PROCESS

Robots may be getting smarter everyday, but Ford acknowledges that it’s wise for industry leaders to maintain realistic expectations. The biggest hurdle for massive adoption? Operating in densely populated areas.

“Realistically, it is rarely feasible in densely populated construction zones,” says Ford. “In these specific projects, the installation of object avoidance technology is essential. In addition to object avoidance technologies, selectively we also employ video surveillance, enabling us to monitor projects closely and identify various hazards as they arise.

“Our hope is for sensors and avoidance technology to be embedded within these machines, intelligently detecting obstacles or individuals, and stopping the machines when necessary. It’s important for industry leaders to continue to challenge the status quo so that we can continue to push for innovation within construction equipment to ensure safer work environments on all project types.”

CONSTRUCTION’S ROBOT REVOLUTION

Aviad Almagor, US-based Trimble’s VP of technology innovation, notes that construction segments also shouldn’t compare themselves to other industries, such as manufacturing.

“In the automotive industry, for example, I’m a bit jealous about what’s going on there,” says Almagor. “You see the full automation of the production line, and, to be fair, they have an easier task to solve because the production line is the same.”

Almagor says ‘cobotics’ – robotics that require human collaboration – are likely to become as prevalent on dynamic construction work sites, while other parts of the industry may move toward off-site prefabrication or modular approaches.

This is likely in the near future, Almagor says, one that sees the industry trending toward dynamic fleets of conventional machines, advanced robotics, and speciality labourers. “Robotic fleets should not be one robot,” suggests Trimble’s Almagor. “Construction sites will have a mixed fleet with drones and autonomous cranes and the plaster robot and a brick-layout robot; it’s a mix of tools, and each one of them is different and has someone who understands how to operate and maintain the robot.

“There’s so much work to do. What we will need to do is to make sure that those employees will be educated to support the robot, because we’re not going to see sites without any humans in the near future.”

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