Robotics & Automation News

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Construction

KCI Technologies launches floor-flattening robot for construction projects

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KCI Technologies, a multi-disciplined engineering and consulting firm with offices throughout the United States, has launched RoboFlat, a high-performance, cloud-based product for concrete floor flatness and levelness testing.

Designed to address floor challenges in a variety of robotic-equipped facilities, this product streamlines testing operations, processing large volumes of data and delivering rapid results.

With RoboFlat, contractors and building owners can be assured that their floors meet the required flatness specifications.

With this innovative software, users can upload point cloud data generated from laser scanners, enabling further analysis and evaluation and automating time-consuming, multi-step processes. RoboFlat supports a range of floor standards that can be tailored to meet specifications. [Read more…] about KCI Technologies launches floor-flattening robot for construction projects

Tomahawk Construction employs Teleo autonomous technology to clear land for development

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Tomahawk Construction is developing land to create a new 700-acre residential community in Naples, Florida. It is also among the many heavy construction companies looking for ways to overcome an ongoing labor shortage plaguing the industry.

“We really have just had a hard time getting people into haul trucks,” says Tomahawk owner Scott Lyons.

The labor shortage isn’t going away anytime soon. As experienced operators retire, the industry is struggling to attract much-needed new operators to fill job vacancies, resulting in spiraling project costs and timelines.

[Read more…] about Tomahawk Construction employs Teleo autonomous technology to clear land for development

Robotic drilling market projected to grow to more than $8 billion

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The size of the robotic drilling market is expected to be worth $8,025.65 million in 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 7.5 percent from 2021 to 2028, according to new research by Adroit Market Research.

Robotic drilling is the practice of performing drilling operations in a variety of sectors, such as manufacturing, construction, mining, oil and gas exploration, and more, using robotic systems and automation technologies.

Robotic drilling’s main objective is to increase drilling processes’ efficiency, precision, and safety while minimizing human involvement. Robotic drilling may be used for industrial tasks like making holes or forming components in sectors including electronics, aerospace, and automotive. [Read more…] about Robotic drilling market projected to grow to more than $8 billion

ABB Robotics teams with innovative tech start-up to deliver sustainable and affordable housing

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ABB Robotics is collaborating with UK-based tech start-up Automated Architecture, or AUAR, to advance the use of robotic micro-factories to build affordable, sustainable low energy timber homes.

AUAR’s transformative approach to integrating robotic automation into the building process will tackle skills shortages, boost sustainability, and improve health and safety by deploying robots in a global network of local micro-factories.

These micro-factories will construct energy-efficient, affordable buildings from sheet timber. AUAR reports today that it has completed a £2.6 million seed round led by deep-tech and AI fund Miles Ahead, alongside ABB Robotics & Automation Ventures and several other investors. [Read more…] about ABB Robotics teams with innovative tech start-up to deliver sustainable and affordable housing

Civ Robotics shows how to improve pre-construction surveying efficiency by using robots and precision positioning

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Managing a construction project from planning stage to execution in the real world is replete with challenges. Whether a company is building a sprawling solar farm or laying lines on the road, precision is paramount. Errors of just a few inches can have massive implications that can lead to critical delays and cost overruns.

In this new case study, Civ Robotics explains how Point One’s Polaris RTK precision technology has been instrumental in lowering their operating costs and streamlining processes for many of its high-precision layout projects.

Land surveying is a critical stage in the construction layout process, during which workers use various forms of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) to mark specific locations for builders. Because this process demands a high degree of precision, all GNSS readings must be validated and corrected to ensure accuracy, sometimes within even a few centimeters. [Read more…] about Civ Robotics shows how to improve pre-construction surveying efficiency by using robots and precision positioning

Prefab Office Building Trends: What’s Hot in Workspace Design?

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In recent years, the world of office design has seen a significant shift towards more flexible, sustainable, and efficient workspace solutions. One of the trends leading the way in this transformation is the rise of prefab office buildings.

These innovative structures are changing the way you think about office spaces, offering a range of benefits that appeal to both businesses and employees. This article explores the hottest trends in this building design, showcasing how they are reshaping the future of workspaces. [Read more…] about Prefab Office Building Trends: What’s Hot in Workspace Design?

PaintJet raises $10 million in Series A funding

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PaintJet, the robotics company bringing automation to industrial painting, has raised $10 million in Series A funding to bring critical automation technology to the construction industry and address widespread labor shortages.

The latest round of funding was led by Outsiders Fund with participation from 53 Stations, Dynamo, Pathbreaker Ventures, MetaProp and VSC Ventures. This brings PaintJet’s total funding to $14.75 million.

Every single commercial building needs to be painted for protection from the natural environment, but the American painting sector is in crisis, lacking 100,000 laborers that are needed to meet today’s project demands. [Read more…] about PaintJet raises $10 million in Series A funding

SafeAI and Obayashi unveil electric, autonomous construction haul truck

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Companies set stage for a “safer, more sustainable future” with the first retrofitted autonomous, zero-emission haul truck

SafeAI, a developer of autonomous heavy equipment, and Obayashi, one of Japan’s largest construction companies, have unveiled a “first-of-its-kind” retrofit zero-emission, autonomous haul truck.

The Caterpillar 725 is the first haul truck retrofitted with autonomous and electrification technology. This is a breakthrough in heavy industry that paves the way for companies to reuse their existing assets while improving operations and enabling them to reach their sustainability goals.

Heavy industry companies have grappled with safety, productivity, and cost challenges for years. As Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) commitments gained prominence in recent years, sustainability has also emerged as a top concern. [Read more…] about SafeAI and Obayashi unveil electric, autonomous construction haul truck

Badger Technologies provides autonomous robots to Stine stores

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Badger Technologies, a retail automation expert, is rolling out in-store robotics at Stine, a building materials dealer, to assist in elevating operational efficiencies and customer-service excellence.

Badger Technologies’ multipurpose autonomous robots empower Stine’s stores to detect out-of-stock (OOS) products with more than 95 percent accuracy while helping to decrease OOS products by up to 50 percent. Additionally, in-store robots are enabling Stine to improve price-tag accuracy by more than 97 percent.

For Stine, the decision to introduce autonomous robots was driven by the company’s overarching commitment to its hard-working associates and loyal customers. [Read more…] about Badger Technologies provides autonomous robots to Stine stores

Autonomous excavator constructs 6-metre-high dry-stone wall

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ETH Zurich researchers from Gramazio Kohler Research, the Robotics Systems Lab, Vision for Robotics Lab, and the Chair of Landscape Architecture deployed an autonomous excavator to build a 6-metre-high and 65-metre-long dry-stone wall.

The wall is embedded in a digitally planned and autonomously excavated landscape and park. The team developed this innovative design application as part of the National Centre of Competence in Research for Digital Fabrication (NCCR dfab). [Read more…] about Autonomous excavator constructs 6-metre-high dry-stone wall