Robots and robotics are increasingly being incorporated into working processes in different fields across the world. Even in the modern AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) industry, robots are being used extensively due to the numerous benefits that they offer over conventional construction processes. Keep reading to understand the field of architectural robotics, the benefits and applications of robotics in architecture and construction and the types of robots used in the field currently.
What is Architectural Robotics?
Architectural robotics is a field that utilises advanced robotic systems in building design and construction processes. Robots are basically man-made machines that can imitate human working processes and are used to reduce and/or simplify manual labour in the construction industry. They can be used for building processes like welding, fabricating, constructing masonry units, moving materials and assembling precast building components. Drones, demolition robots and brick-laying robots are a few common robot types used in building projects. With improved efficiency and the possibility of building complex structures, automation and robots in construction are swiftly gaining popularity globally and transforming the way buildings are designed and built.
Benefits of Robotics in Architecture and Construction
- High Precision: Robot-built buildings are constructed with extremely high precision and accuracy, with every millimeter carefully accounted for. This level of precision is difficult to achieve with manual labour.
- Mechanical Power: Unlike a human being, a robot does not get tired and can work continuously for as long as required. The number of errors is also nil or minimised, leading to efficient risk management in construction sites.
- Reduced Timelines: Faster design and construction processes, enhanced collaboration and efficient project management are aided by robotics in building construction, substantially reducing construction timelines.
- Building in Difficult Terrains: While humans may find it difficult to access and build on sites with tricky terrain conditions, robot technology can be programmed to easily build in such places. This significantly pushes the boundaries of habitability in remote locations.
Applications of Robotics in Architecture and Construction
Robotics can be used in different stages of constructing a building and some of its important applications are:
Pre-Construction Processes
- Site Investigation: Small robots can be used in various site analysis processes like taking accurate dimensions and marking plot boundaries, clearing sites of debris and drilling for soil testing.
- Design and Visualisation: Robot technology, along with 3D printing processes, can be used to produce small-scale physical models of buildings, in which material explorations can be done to determine the best options. These highly enhance design and visualisation processes, enabling a better understanding of exactly how a building might look once it is actually built.
Construction Processes
- Manufacturing of Components: Small materials such as building blocks and prelaminated kitchen components or even larger building components like precast concrete slabs and wall units can be manufactured by robots. Robotic construction components can be customised, have uniform quality and extremely high levels of accuracy.
- Construction, Fabrication and Assembly: Robots can handle the transportation and storage of large and/or heavy building components easily. Processes like welding, masonry construction and assembling different prefabricated elements can also be executed with robotics while ensuring high precision
- Project Management: Detection of risks, tracking of material usage and ensuring safety in construction sites are some of the tasks that can be handled by robotics. Any changes made in the design can also be automatically conveyed in real-time to the robotic systems used for building, ensuring that minimal errors happen and saving time. The integration of robotics and construction can thus lead to safer and better-managed building projects.
Post Construction Processes
- Building Rehabilitation: Demolition and clearing of debris are post-construction processes that are often carried out by robotic technology. This is especially beneficial in disaster-hit areas, where it might be difficult for manual rescue operations to approach the regions.
- Building Management: Apart from daily cleaning and maintenance procedures, robots can also be used to track the energy efficiency of buildings by monitoring indoor air quality, temperature, lighting and usage patterns. This helps enhance sustainable building practices.
Types of Robots in Architecture and Construction
Stationary Robots
Stationary robots have fixed bases, but their components move to carry out various building processes. They are typically fixed to walls, floors, ceilings or other building surfaces where they are used for processes like drilling, welding, fabrication, cutting, sawing and moving materials. Three types of stationary robots are commonly used:
- Robotic Arms: They have fixed bases with one or more movable arms. Brick-laying robots (such as CU-Brick) and 3D printing robots (such as those made by manufacturers KUKA and DENSO) are some of the common kinds of robotic arms used in construction.
- Cable Robots: These have flexible cables around rigid anchoring bases. For example, robots like the Hephaestus can move along a cable to install facade panels and their supporting brackets on buildings, which is especially useful for parametric facade designs.
- Gantry Robots: Such robots can move across one single cartesian plane, generally to transport materials. Large companies like Liebherr, Yamaha Motors and Toshiba Machine manufacture robotic excavators, earthmovers and material loaders/unloaders.
Mobile Robots
Such robots can fully transport themselves to carry out building processes efficiently. Unlike stationary robots, they can aid in the construction of structures that are much larger than themselves. Mobile robots can carry different building components from one location to another and assemble them precisely in place. Walking, swimming, flying and wheeled motions are some of the movements that they can undertake. For instance, the robotic dog Unitree (by Unitree Robotics) is used for inspecting pipelines, construction sites, and other industrial infrastructure, improving on-site safety and efficiency.
Swarm Robots
Swarm robots are systems that are made up of multiple tiny robots, each of which can carry out different functions to create a combined whole. The module robots are programmed to co-ordinate with each other to complete specific tasks without colliding with one another. They generally perform tasks that are too dangerous or not possible for humans to accomplish, such as underground tunnel construction in mountainous regions and underwater bridge construction. An example of swarmbots is AMBOTS’ 3D printing robots, which are used to 3D print different building components like slabs, walls and roofs simultaneously, and then assemble these together.
Disadvantages of Using Robots in Architecture
- Cost: Currently, using robotics in architecture and construction in India is extremely expensive. This is because the technology is still developing, is not easily available and requires high-end equipment and advanced technology to build.
- Reduced Manpower: Robot builders are quickly replacing manual labourers in many building processes. Since the construction industry is one of the biggest employers of uneducated and skilled/unskilled labourers in the world, this can result in a huge loss of livelihood for such people.
The Future of Robotics in Architecture
Robotics companies across the world are working on improving the efficiency and functionality of robots, pushing the boundaries of what this technology can actually do. With increasing popularity and adoption in different fields, the cost of this technology is also expected to drastically reduce in a few years. This means that robotics in architecture and construction can one day completely replace manual labour. Although this can improve precision and reduce timelines while enabling the construction of complex structures, the loss of livelihood among millions of manual labourers is an issue that must be seriously analysed.
Apoorva H P Achar