Automated Wall Building

Within the framework of this research project, innovative construction methods using Robots are to be investigated. Until now, the corresponding technology was not been used, since conventional robotics can not be used because of the small range of serial robot arms (max. 5m).

However, Cable Robotic technology provides a technique for the construction of very large robots. Within the framework of this research project, innovative construction methods using cable robots will be explored.

In a first feasibility study, the automatic erection of walls with a cable robot (size approx. 12m x 6m x 2m) is to be tested practically in order to prove the feasibility of the project idea. The aim is to build a wall of grid wall blocks made of sand-lime brick precisely and very quickly with the aid of a robot guided by the robot. Modern mechatronic sensor and actuator concepts are used to ensure automatic recording as well as fast transport and precise positioning of the wall blocks with the end effector.

The project scope is around € 49.882, supported by the start-up funding of the Mercator Research Center Ruhr (MERCUR)

Project duration: 01/2016 – 08/2016

Project coordinator at the Chair of Mechatronics:

• Christopher Reichert
• Tobias Bruckmann

Participating Chairs / Departments at UDE:

• Lehrstuhl für Mechatronik (Prof. Schramm)
• Institute for Building and Construction Management (Prof. Malkwitz)

Project Partners:

• Chair of Building and Construction Process Management at TU Dortmund (Prof. Gralla)
• Chair of Computer Science in Civil Engineering at the RUB (Prof. König)

Affiliation to the main focus of the Faculty of Engineering at UDE:

• Human-centered Cyber-physical Systems
• Smart Engineering