Why are walls always straight? Why does it cost so much to build them? Why do construction projects often run late? And why are there so many accidents on building sites? Construction has always been a conservative industry …doing things as they have always done.
However, a new wave of innovation is coming that will change how buildings look, how they are made, and who wins in the new era of construction.
Today (April 28) marks the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which this year focuses on the role of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) in changing workplaces: “Too often, artificial intelligence is being deployed not as a tool for progress but as a weapon against workers,” according to the International Trade Union Confederation General Secretary Luc Triangle.
“From warehouses to hospitals, delivery bikes to data labs, workers are under pressure like never before. The deployment of new technologies must respect the norms of any other changes in the workplace: workers have a right to be consulted and included. This basic, democratic, workplace right will ensure the use of AI is designed with safety, fairness and dignity at its core. Workers and their unions must have a seat at the table for the benefit of all.”
However, while AI has drawbacks, it also has massive upsides, with off-site manufacturers deploying smart technologies to build safer and faster building systems at scale.
Introducing the age of the zero-labour robot…
In 2023, Australian delegates on the Wood Solutions and Timber Development Association study saw firsthand how robots are manufactured at the Randek AB facility in Snickaregatan, Sweden. Led by CEO Christian Olafsson, the delegation enjoyed an extensive behind-the-scenes tour of the facilities and a look at robots in action.
The fully automated Randek Zero Labour Robotic can automate the total prefabrication process for house construction. BoKlok, the former joint venture between IKEA and construction giant Skanska, has used the system to deliver more than 15,000 affordable houses in Sweden, Finland, Norway, and the UK.
Closer to home, Timbertruss, Australia’s largest component prefabrication company, uses the technology to improve production accuracy, speed, and safety. The technology, which supplies roof trusses, wall frames, posi-struts, and cassette floor panels, has been instrumental in the company’s national expansion.
According to Clarissa Brandt, Strategic Relations Manager at Timber Queensland, who attended the tour, robotics could solve the labour shortages that have long plagued the construction industry.
“The benefits are many, including reducing workplace health and safety risks,” Ms Brandt says. “In a time-motion study, one of their clients indicated a robot saved 22,000 tonnes of lifting for one person in one year.”
Randek is a small company with fewer than 100 employees, but it has had an enormous impact on the construction industry by developing technology that automates off-site construction. Through its technology, CAD drawings can be mass-produced in a factory setting and only require assembly on-site.
International expansion of Randek technology
In December 2021, Randek AB joined forces with SCM, one of the world’s largest machinery suppliers, in a new global cooperation aiming to become a one-stop supplier for the complete timber construction process.
Under the partnership, SCM will distribute the widest range of robotic solutions for beams, walls, timber frames, X-lam/CLT panels machines.
The new partnership expands and strengthens the range of technological solutions both players provide.
Robotics has spurred global interest in modular housing
According to Forbes, the latest take on modular housing is volumetric modular manufacturing (VMM) … creating many residential units at an offsite facility.
Many houses are shipped directly from the factory up to 95%, with windows, flooring, painted drywall, plumbing fixtures, lighting fixtures, doors, and kitchen cabinets with countertops.
Moving forward, construction companies are now improving automated assembly lines by incorporating robotics, such as the Randek Zero Labour Robotic System, and artificial intelligence into supply chains. This allows construction companies to combine sub-assemblies into larger, more complete units with workers free from repetitive and dangerous tasks.
Technicians and engineers program and maintain specialised equipment to ensure that sub-assemblies consistently comply with high-quality standards and tolerances.
- To learn more about the role of AI and digitalisation in transforming off-site manufacturing, click here for Wood Central’s special feature.
