The construction industry – a major contributor to greenhouse emissions – urgently needs to rebuild itself into a smarter, greener and more efficient industry without breaking the bank.
The solution might lie in the declining automotive industry. Six-axis robots, often used in the manufacture of cars, are being introduced to the world of architecture, fabrication and construction, with promising results.
Robots can be used at all stages of manufacturing and fabrication processes. On construction sites, robots are used for automated tasks, such as bricklaying, 3D printer, and timber module fabrication. There’s still work to be done before robots become a common sight on building sites – their unpredictable nature (uneven surfaces and the constant movement of people, machines and materials) places more challenges on the deployment of a robot. And there are some issues with safety, costs and skill applications which have held back its wider implementation. There is still a mismatch between the technology available and the knowledge of how to harness it. And, given the power and danger involved with such machinery, there’s trepidation to embrace the technology until the gap closes.
