Automated Assembly of Metal Frames for Home Construction using Mobile Manipulators

Using metal frames for constructing residential buildings is gaining attention in North America. They would be advantageous over wood frames because: (1) metal has a higher strength-to-weight ratio, therefore, less framing would be required, (2) metal frames are lighter in weight than wood, so easier to carry them on site, and (3) they offer better fire and moisture resistance than that in woods. However, installing the metal frames on site can be very time consuming. At RoboticMetalFrameAssembly (RMFA), they focus on partial assembly of wall frames on a manufacturing floor, before they are shipped to the construction site. Partial assembly of the frames, however, can be still very labor intensive, tiring, and unsafe. In this project, we aim to develop a digital twin of the entire manufacturing plant, and processes, in which different motion planning and control strategies will be simulated, validated, and optimized for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. These plans can be seamlessly and readily implemented in the field by the RMFA at the end of the project’s life cycle.

Faculty Supervisor:

Kamal Gupta;Mehran Mehrandezh;Mehran Mehrandezh;Kamal Gupta

Student:

Partner:

Robotic Metal Frame Assembly

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Construction and infrastructure

University:

Simon Fraser University; University of Regina

Program: