Construction is one of the busiest and most difficult industries for automated systems, which is why recent developments have been slow.
Most of the manual methods used in the construction sector until a few years ago put the safety and well-being of workers at risk. According to recent statistics, there is a great need to fill vacant positions in construction. These two key factors made it possible for robotics to enter the construction industry with the intention of replacing or improving current procedures.
One example of robotics‘ foray into architecture is the beautiful brick structure that was built for Keller AG Ziegeleien in Germany by Gramazio Kohler Architects using a robotic manufacturing technique called “ROBmade”. Instead of relying so heavily on skilled craftsmen to complete much of the work, it uses a robot to lay and glue the bricks. The company is renowned for its cutting-edge approach to digital fabrication, which incorporates technologies from various fields.
Most of the construction process is automated thanks to the robotic arm, which painstakingly arranges thousands of bricks into a beautiful twisted pattern using data from a 3D modelling program. The bricks can be rotated in a variety of directions, resulting in intricate curves.
Gramazio Kohler uses this manufacturing technique to carry out complex and repeatable activities that are essential to the structure. The robot creates dozens of similar sections which, because of their perfection, allow the façade to have artistic rotating elements while being absolutely independent.
These jobs are becoming more multidisciplinary as the construction industry has begun to attract talent with expertise in robots and artificial intelligence. According to projections, people will see a reduction in the risk of damage in this field.
One of the benefits of using robots in the construction industry is the ability to reduce operating expenses by reducing the amount of labour needed on the job site. Instead of replacing all employment in this industry, people will use robots as their personal assistants. Computer and digital fabrication innovations have made it very easy for architects to produce amazing ideas. For any information, don’t hesitate to ask us for information. We will be ready to help you and advise you in your project.