DOCSLIB.ORG

Factories of the Future How UK Businesses Are Transforming Manufacturing by Embracing Robotics

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Factories of the Future How UK Businesses Are Transforming Manufacturing by Embracing Robotics Robotics&Innovation July 2021 www.roboticsandinovation.co.uk £25 Factories of the Future How UK businesses are transforming manufacturing by embracing robotics 16 HELPING 18 CONSTRUCTION 20 WAREHOUSE HANDS ROBOTS AUTOMATION Cobot technology Will the building Could investing developing to industry in automation better serve UK deploy robotic be a game industries… solutions?... changer... - A showcase of the latest technology - REGISTER FREE AT ROBOTICSANDAUTOMATION.CO.UK Discover how the latest robotics, automation and future technologies can improve efficiency, reduce costs and give you the competitive advantage @roboticsautoex #roboticsauto21 R&A_AD_NEW_.indd 1 23/04/2021 11:02 CONTENTS 03 CONTENTS LEADER 03 Adapt to Reporter’s welcome to Robotics & Innovation... ROBOTICS NEWS 04 A roundup of the best news stories from thrive... www.roboticsandinnovation.co.uk, including: l £7m funding boost for UK robotic projects l BladeBUG’s first lightning protection test elcome to the Oxfordshire microfactory floor space July 2021 with the use of robotic cells, rewriting l Royal Mail drone delivery to Scilly Islands Wissue of the approach to automotive assembly. l MOD creates centre of excellence Robotics & Innovation! And to ensure full traceability, GA Pet l First Spot introduced to Scotland Over the past year Food Partners has installed a range of l Navy tests AI against missiles businesses around the robotic solutions at its sizeable globe have had to adopt new ways of Ingredients Kitchen south of Preston. CONFERENCE REVIEW 04 working, many turning to technology Robotics & Innovation went on virtual Highlights and key takeaways from the first as a solution. site visits of both facilities to find out Robotics & Innovation conference, held Meetings via video call became a how these companies are using virtually on 23 and 24 June... ‘normal’ way of communicating, and robotics to become future-proof. these video platforms have even These businesses are not alone in FACTS & FIGURES 08 enabled whole events and using robotics to respond to Covid-19 The collaborative robot market in numbers... conferences to be held virtually. related issues. According to a recent This includes the first Robotics & Deloitte survey, the pandemic forced COVER STORY: ARRIVAL 10 Innovation Conference, held on companies to rethink how work is The electric vehicle manufacturer showcases Swapcard on 23 and 24 June. The live done. Around three in four (73%) of how it is transforming automotive video conference brought together global organisations are now using manufacturing with robotic cells... global speakers providing insightful automation technologies – such as case studies directly to visitors’ robotics and machine learning. GA PET FOOD PARTNERS 14 screens. Whether viewing while working Furthermore, Deloitte found two This UK supplier has an ambitious expansion from home or – for those returned to thirds (65%) of UK CFOs expect to plan to develop a new dark store warehouse that will operate solely with robots... the office – watching on work computers increase investment in business the conference included thought- process improvements, such and COBOTS 16 provoking debate on current trends, automation, over the year ahead. technologies and future challenges. It is clear from the businesses Helen Norman investigates how cobots are becoming more sophisticated to better serve In this edition, we look at the featured and such studies that the use and support a range of insustries... conference’s highlights which includes of technology is only going to increase Sellafield, NHS and UK Space Agency. as organisations continue to work out CONSTRUCTION ROBOTS 18 Also, we report on two UK what the ‘new normal’ is and what the David Smith asks the construction industry if businesses that are both transforming future of enterprise looks like. As it is ready to revolutionise the sector by what it means to be a manufacturer, restrictions ease, it is perhaps those deploying robotic technology... rebuilding the concept of a warehouse that are the most adaptable that do to ensure they are at the top of their more than survive. WAREHOUSE AUTOMATION 20 individual sectors. Maria Highland looks at the automation Electric vehicle manufacturer Arrival Katie Searles technologies that are set to be game is squeezing every inch out of its Senior Reporter, Robotics & Innovation changers for warehouse operations... GG.007, Metal Box Factory, 30 Great Guildford Street, Opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors and do not Robotics&Innovation London, SE1 0HS necessarily imply that such opinions are held by the publishers. Although Email for press releases: [email protected] every effort will be made to ensure the accuracy of all information published, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for claims made by l EDITORIAL Editor John Thornton (020 8037 1783) [email protected] contributors and advertisers. Senior Reporter Katie Searles (020 8037 1781) [email protected] Contributing Art Editor Numa Randall, [email protected] All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced, stored in l SALES & EVENTS Sales Director Nairn Foster (020 8037 1774) [email protected] a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, Commercial Manager Rahul Nair (020 8037 1776) [email protected] mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the publishers. l PRODUCTION Ad Production Katy Holloway [email protected] l MARKETING Conference Producer Claudia Davidson (020 8037 1777) [email protected] © 2021 Akabo Media Ltd. Senior Marketing Executive Rebecca Crisp (020 8037 1780) [email protected] Managing Director Stephen Brooks (020 8037 1773) [email protected] l Publisher Akabo Media Ltd. Follow us on Twitter twitter.com/robo_innovation l Circulation address Akabo Media, GG.006, Metal Box Factory, 30 Great Guildford Street, London, SE1 0HS Go to www.linkedin.com and search for Robotics And Innovation Magazine l Printer Brown, Knight & Truscott www.roboticsandinnovation.co.uk July 2021 Virtual Reality Held via Swapcard on 23 – 24 June, the first Robotics & Innovation conference brought he inaugural Robotics & Innovation Conference was held virtually this June with speakers logging in from the together the brightest bottom of their gardens, dialling in from the U.S, India, Malaysia and even on the road to provide invaluable minds from across insights into how cutting-edge robotics, AI and state-of- the robotics value the-artT technologies are transforming industries around the world. Across the two days perceptive presentations, case studies and engaging panel discussions were delivered by some of the biggest chain for two days of names developing and utilising robotic solutions today. What’s more, Industrial Cleaning Equipment (ICE), a provider of presentations, discussion autonomous cleaning robots to the likes of London Luton Airport joined the event as its first official sponsor. and an exclusive first live Day One kicked off with Jonathan Smith, head of development at Three, who ensured viewers that the adoption of robotics in telco demonstration… was more Pixar’s WALL-E than Schwarzenegger’s Terminator. He comprehensive range of autonomous floor cleaning machines, ICE’s explained that previous concerns centred around job roles being presentation focused on the shifting perception of hygiene and how replaced by robotics resulting in “powerful emotions” from workers a robotic solution provides unparalleled cleaning of public across various sectors. Smith added there has since been a cultural environments such as hospitals, rail stations, offices and within shift as businesses discovered the real value of robotics is retail spaces. collaboration and co-production. Smith said: “If you can show the Following the morning networking break, Rav Chunilal, head of people the future of work – they can become the developers.” robotics and artificial intelligence at Sellafield looked at robotic He advises companies start small, control aspirations from the technology for hazardous environments, particularly nuclear sites. beginning and take a “Field of Dreams” approach to automation. Chunilal provided an overview of the testing and trialling of robotic Smith recommended companies “build it and they will come”, and AI systems used to protect workers in highly radioactive through constant demonstration of any innovative idea to its team, environments at the Cumbria site. He explained while currently the businesses will not have to hard-sell the solution and in fact find use of such technology is very much the “art of the possible” he people coming to them with further opportunities. hopes one day these solutions will become “business as normal” For Ricky Smith, head of sales and innovation at ICE it was less with the use of robots talked about routinely. about protecting jobs roles and more a case of robots filling the Also looking to the future was Tony Young, national clinical lead labour shortages created by the current climate – both Covid-19 and for innovation at NHS England. Young spoke passionately and with Brexit creating a “step change”. As the first company to provide a pride explaining that the NHS is world leading in how it embraces technology. More than just explaining its vision for the future and the work its Clinical Entrepreneur Programme does, Young was able to provide the first live
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Application of Autonomous Equipment in Heavy Civil Construction Roman Ruffino California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, California
    Application of Autonomous Equipment in Heavy Civil Construction Roman Ruffino California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, California The prevalence of autonomous vehicles in our everyday lives is continually growing. Automobile manufacturers such as Tesla have made great strides in building a car that can safely navigate the world around it and respond to sudden changes. There is great potential in the heavy civil construction industry for equipment such as bulldozers, scrapers, and transport vehicles to add another level of safety and efficiency to the worksite. The goal of this research will be to determine whether a contractor would actually apply this technology, or if it isn’t practical for everyday use. This paper will examine the current state of all autonomous vehicles, the early development of autonomous construction equipment, and how they can benefit the industry. Qualitative interviews with a project engineer, project manager, and superintendent at DeSilva Gates Construction was used as a data collecting methodology. It was determined that it is most practical for autonomous equipment to work side by side with human operated equipment. As the development of these vehicles continues, there is great potential in conducting future research as to if autonomous vehicles out-perform traditional construction vehicles in various categories such as safety, productivity and affordability. Key Words: Autonomous, Equipment, Safety, Productivity, Affordability Introduction The concept for this paper was developed over two summer internships with the bay area-based general contractor, DeSilva Gates Construction. DeSilva Gates is a heavy civil contractor who specializes in residential subdivision grading and site excavation, as well as the grading and paving of highways, roads, and airports (Construction Services, 2009).
    [Show full text]
  • The Robot Revolution Has Arrived
    The robotics revolution is here, and it's changing how we live https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/09/the-r... https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/09/the-robot-revolution-has-arrived-feature.html © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, © 2015- 2020 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved MAGAZINE The robot revolution has arrived Machines now perform all sorts of tasks: They clean big stores, patrol borders, and help autistic children. But will they make life better for humans? B Y DAVID BERREBY PHOTOGRAPHS BY SPENCER LOWELL P U B L I S H E D AUGUST 18, 2020 This story appears in the September 2020 issue of National Geographic magazine. If you’re like most people, you’ve probably never met a robot. But you will. I met one on a windy, bright day last January, on the short-grass prairie near Colorado’s border with Kansas, in the company of a rail-thin 31-year-old from San Francisco named Noah Ready-Campbell. To the south, wind turbines stretched to the horizon in uneven ranks, like a silent army of gleaming three-armed giants. In front of me was a hole that would become the foundation for another one. A Caterpillar 336 excavator was digging that hole—62 feet in diameter, with walls that slope up at a 34-degree angle, and a floor 10 feet deep and almost perfectly level. The Cat piled the dug-up earth on a spot where it wouldn’t get in the way; it would start a new pile when necessary.
    [Show full text]
  • Earthmoving Construction Automation with Military Applications: Past, Present and Future
    35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018) Earthmoving Construction Automation with Military Applications: Past, Present and Future Q.P. Haa, L. Yenb, and C. Balaguerc a Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia b Land Vehicles & Systems, Defence Science & Technology Group, SA 5111, Australia c Robotics Lab, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain E-mail: { [email protected] ; [email protected]; [email protected] } Abstract – Amongst increasing innovations in autonomy of construction plant, in both civilian and frontier engineering sciences, the advancements in military domains, to improve their efficiency, Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) has productivity, quality and reliability [7]. brought about a new horizon in construction Robotic and autonomous systems tailored for the applications. There is evidence of the increasing military call upon the ability to integrate sensors, vision interest in RAS technologies in the civil construction imaging, actuators, end-effector manipulation, computer sector being reflected in construction efforts of many control and human interface for operations in military forces. In particular, Army or ground-based unstructured, difficult and hazardous conditions. Army forces are frequently called upon to conduct construction tasks for enhancing force protection construction tasks as part of military operations, include such earthmoving tasks as filling of protective tasks which could be partially or fully aided by the barriers (HESCO baskets), building dirt bunding employment of RAS technologies. Along with recent structures, as well as anti-tank ditches and trenching. advances in the Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber- For such tasks a variety of heavy construction physical system infrastructure, it is essential to machinery such as excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders, examine the current maturity, technical feasibility, graders and articulated dump trucks etc.
    [Show full text]
  • List Compiled on March 6, 2020
    4N Corporation ADAMAR Industries, LLC 800 PAVEMENT Network ADC Equipment Innovations A.H. Beck Foundation Co., Inc. Advanced Cylinders, LLC A1A Software Advanced Detection Systems AAH FLUID POWER INC Advanced Heat Treat Corp. Aarcomm Systems Inc Advanced Technology Products ABB Aggregate Systems Inc (ASInc) ABER HYDRAULICS, S.A. Aggregates Equipment Inc (AEI) ABI Attachments Agremote Systems Inc. ABL Lights Incorporated Agriculture Future of America AboutTimeTechnologies / WorkMax AGTEK AC Business Media Ahern Specialty Access International (AI) AINA PTT Access Lift & Handlers (ALH) Airo Industries AccessNsite Airstar America Accumulators, Inc. Air-Way Global Manufacturing ACE Group LLC Air-Weigh Acme Foundry, Inc. AJAX TOOL WORKS, INC. Actia USA AKG of America Inc Action Equipment Company Inc AKG Thermal Systems Acumatica AKKOMSAN OTOMOTIV YED.PAR.LTD.STI. Acutus Industrial Power Inc. ALA Industries Limited List compiled on March 6, 2020 Alamo Group Inc ALS Tribology Alaska Structures, Inc. ALT Enterprises ALBA-MACREL GROUP, S.L. Altec Industries Inc Albarrie Environmental Services Limited Aluma Systems Alfagomma Am Cast, Inc. Alfagomma & Kuriyama AMA USA, Inc. Alimak Group USA Inc. Amalga Composites Inc Alkon Corporation AMC Mecanocaucho Alkota Cleaning Systems, Inc. AMCS technologies All Access Equipment American Augers Allegis Corporation American Concrete Pavement Association Allen Engineering Corporation American Concrete Pumping Association Alliance Tire Americas American Cranes & Transport (ACT) Allied Pedestal Boom Systems LLC
    [Show full text]
  • TRANSACTIONS REPORT 2017 Roboticsbusinessreview.Com
    FOURTH QUARTER TRANSACTIONS REPORT 2017 roboticsbusinessreview.com Are You Still Manually Sorting and Packing Orders? Sure Sort is a highly scalable, configurable and cost effective small item sorting system with excellent ROI. Sure Sort can be designed to support up to 670 sort locations in a small footprint, and requires significantly less staffing compared to traditional put walls. Sure Sort installs in a week or less. Sure Sort is ideal for small businesses looking for a cost effective entry into warehouse automation as well as large fulfillment operations looking to streamline their process. Call us today to learn more! The Old Way Up to The New Way 670 sort locations Applications • E-commerce Order Fulfillment • Return Center Processing • Pre-Sorting Inventory • Kit Building • Direct Store Delivery (DSD) • Transshipment/Cross Docking Up to • Last Mile Delivery 2,400 items per hour 305 Commerce Drive, Moorestown, NJ 08057 opex.com | 856.727.1100 TRANSACTIONS REPORT 2017 FOURTH QUARTER Year’s End Provides Perspective on SoftBank, which already makes Automation Transactions the Pepper By Jim Nash robot, made multiple bids One of the most significant investment trends in robotics last year was the at robotics accelerating appetite of SoftBank Group Corp. It is beginning to give the leadership this past year. industry a luster typically bestowed by venture capitalists operating in other digital technologies. Of course, activity in robotics reflects the overall technology ecosystem. To the frustration of a lot of robotics entrepreneurs and at least some of their backers, industry financings have almost entirely remained fewer and smaller, even as hardware and, to a lesser extent, software development has surged.
    [Show full text]
  • 5. Robots in Construction Industry
    Robotics in Construction of Concrete and Masonry Structures BY ANUDARI NYAMSUREN A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment for the degree of Bachelor in Civil Engineering branch of Building Structures Supervisor: Ing. Petr Bílý, Ph.D. 2019 CZECH TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY IN PRAGUE Faculty of Civil Engineering Thákurova 7, 166 29 Prague 6, Czech Republic BACHELOR´S THESIS ASSIGNMENT FORM I. PERSONAL AND STUDY DATA Surname: Nyamsuren Name: Anudari Personal number: 463459 Assigning Department: Department of Concrete and Masonry Structures Study programme: Civil Engineering Branch of study: Building Structures II. BACHELOR THESIS DATA Bachelor Thesis (BT) title: Robotics in Construction of Concrete and Masonry Structures Bachelor Thesis title in English: Instructions for writing the thesis: Review of state of the art in the use of robots in construction engineering in general Possible applications of robotics in construction and maintenance of concrete and masonry structures (CMS) Evaluation of possible benefits and difficulties in implementation of robotics in construction Detailed description of one selected application of robotics in CMS Proposals for further research List of recommended literature: Bock, Thomas: Construction Robotics. Autonomous Robots (2007) 22:201–209. Bock, Thomas and Linner, Thomas: Construction robots: elementary technologies and single-task construction robots. New York : Cambridge University Press, 2016. 334 p. Available online from CTU IP address at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/construction-robots/BCA613ACE148774DA57A94393D11ED99 Look up other relevant literature using CTU search engine: https://dialog.cvut.cz/ Name of Bachelor Thesis Supervisor: Ing. Petr Bily, Ph.D. BT assignment date: 18.02.2019 BT submission date: 26.05.2019 BT Supervisor’s signature Head of Department’s signature III.
    [Show full text]
  • DESIGN NOTES Rear Camera Bridgestone 29.5R25 Tires Worked in Light Application Type Design Notes Here
    NOVEMBER 13, 2017 ISSUE 15 NEXT ISSUE: DECEMBER 4, 2017 NEXT FOCUS: EXCAVATION/ATTACHMENTS RENTAL OF EXCAVATORS Sales, Rentals & Rental Purchase END OF WITH HYDRAULIC ATTACHMENTS SEASON Since 1976 CLEARANCE CAT 980M (2014) 3157 Hours 7.5 CY Performance Bucket DESIGN NOTES Rear Camera Bridgestone 29.5R25 Tires Worked in Light Application Type design notes here. Very Clean Loader For Sale, Rent or Rental Purchase Call John or Mark at: 1-800-265-5747 705-566-8190 www.bmcdowell.com SEE OUR AD or [email protected] 1-800-268-0182 ON PAGE A6 Rosaire in Timmins at: 1-705-268-3311 416-770-7706 See Our Ad on A10 [email protected] www.marcelequipment.com ÉQU IPEMENT Dry Vac Rentals We legally carry full loads! CONDEROC EQU IPMENT Equipped with Hydro-Detection System and Gas Detection System • No Water Required • Dump On Site SHREDDER RECY CLING SOL UTION • Material is Dry • Serving the GTA www.gearequip.com 416-644-3076 647-235-0807• 450-745-0303 2214 Line 9, Bradford, ON L3Z 3T1 www.conderoc.com 1-866-867-5438 1-855-625-0941 x 225 [email protected] www.toplift.com DRUMCUTTERS WWW.CRDCREIGHTON.COM RENTALS • SALES • SERVICE WHY PROTECT YOUR BUCKET WHEN YOU CAN ARMOUR IT! LOADSTAR TRAILERS INC. Leading in Trailing 20% DISCOUNTS ON CAT EXCAVATOR BUCKETS STDP - HDP - XDP w/ Ultralok Teeth 12-40 Ton B1/B2 Linkage See our ad on page A9 LOADSTAR TRAILERS INC. D7 & D10 SERIES DOMITE - BUCKET 905-885-0744 LOWBEDS - TAG-A-LONGS - Jim Walsh HEEL SHROUDS ARMOUR SYSTEMS TRANSPORTERS - SPECIALIZED [email protected] www.essltd.com since 1946 LARGE OR SMALL LOADSTAR - 416-358-3192 WWW.DOMITE.COM // 100% CANADIAN MADE PARON CAN OFFER THEM ALL Publications Mail Agreement: 40063867 A2 NOVEMBER 13, 2017 EQUIPMENTJOURNAL.COM @EQUIPJOURNAL EQUIPMENT JOURNAL IS AN AUDITED PUBLICATION Published every third Monday at 6-5160 Explorer Dr., Mississauga, (Toronto).
    [Show full text]
  • Robots Break New Ground in Construction Industry
    Diversity in Action Published by SBE certified SBE/DBE/MBE Vol 33, Edition 123 Daily Publication March 27, 2018 Robots break new ground in construction industry Bichen Wu, center, and Ed Walker use a laptop to determine what a In this photo taken Jan. 26, 2018, Mike Moy, an assistant plant autonomous bulldozer is seeing at Built Robotics Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, manager for Lehigh Hanson Cement Group, inspects a Kespry drone in San Francisco. Backed by Silicon Valley money, tech startups are developing he uses to survey inventories of rock, sand and other building self-driving bulldozers, drones to inspect work sites and robot bricklayers that materials at a mining plant in Sunol, California. (AP Photo/Terry Chea) can lay bricks faster than human and work without lunch breaks. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) By Terence Chea, struggling to find enough skilled workers SBE OUTREACH SERVICES As a teenager working for his dad’s construc- while facing a backlog of building projects. tion business, Noah Ready-Campbell dreamed “We need all of the robots we can get, plus With 1.5 million businesses in our database, SBE is that robots could take over the dirty, tedious all of the workers working, in order to have California’s #1 source for diversity outreach. parts of his job, such as digging and leveling economic growth,” said Michael Chui, a part- Advertisements soil for building projects. ner at McKinsey Global Institute in San Fran- Placed in the Small Business Exchange newspaper, Now the former Google engineer is turning cisco. “As machines do some of the work that SBE Today newsletter, and online at www.sbeinc.com that dream into a reality with Built Robotics, a people used to do, the people have to migrate Faxed and Eblast Solicitations startup that’s developing technology to allow and transition to other forms of work, which Targeted mailings sent to businesses per your means lots of retraining.” bulldozers, excavators and other construction criteria.
    [Show full text]
  • An Exclusive Research Study Performed for the Aed Foundation
    AN EXCLUSIVE RESEARCH STUDY PERFORMED FOR THE AED FOUNDATION A Study of the Impact of Autonomous Technology Dear AED Member, On behalf of our Board of Directors, I encourage you to examine “A Study of the Impact of Autonomous Technology” research report that was prepared for The AED Foundation. Technology is rapidly evolving, and it is critical to maximize the opportunities that this creates. This report provides an insightful look into the future and ways that the construction equipment industry will need to adapt. In addition to the current report, The AED Foundation funds research that backs up its claims on the importance of workforce development and shares data with legislators, educators, the media and other industry stakeholders. To build a pipeline of qualified technicians, The AED Foundation recognizes high school and accredits college construction equipment technology programs. Currently, over 700 diesel- equipment technicians enter the workforce annually, graduating from 50 construction equipment technology programs at 39 schools across North America that are accredited or recognized by The AED Foundation. The Foundation plans to aggressively expand its number of accredited and recognized programs in 2019 and beyond. The AED Foundation works to provide tools for dealers to recruit technicians including its Careers in Construction Equipment and Distribution brochure, technician video, and other workforce events. In addition, The AED Foundation’s Dealer Learning Center offers comprehensive management programs to give employees of member companies the tools they need to succeed. The learning center is filled with many industry-specific learning opportunities including: seminars, self-paced courses and on-demand webinars, with a variety of subjects such as parts, service, rental, HR, finance, sales and branch management.
    [Show full text]
  • 50 Minesite Automation Amr June2020 Technical Talk Emancipation of the Excavator
    50 MINESITE AUTOMATION AMR JUNE2020 TECHNICAL TALK EMANCIPATION OF THE EXCAVATOR MPC Kinetic announces Autonomous Excavators in an Australian first, following a partnership with US technology start-up Built Robotics obotics have been used in the manufacturer. industry for decades to perform repetitive tasks tirelessly and Whereas most “autonomous” solutions with precision. still need to be remote-controlled by R a human, Built’s technology is fully- An innovative new collaboration of autonomous and works without human complex robotics and heavy machinery control or intervention. This empowers has resulted in a revolutionary excavator the operator to leave the mundane task capable of digging laser-straight of digging a straight trench and apply trenches 24-hours a day, seven days a their skills to more complex tasks where week - completely autonomously. human intuition and touch cannot be so easily replicated. This pioneering piece of equipment utilises a self-contained AI guidance In the case of older pilot hydraulic system, physical hydraulic controls and control systems, a low-pressure some very clever software to deliver hydraulic manifold is fitted which gives perfect trenches, without the need for Built’s onboard computers the ability to an onboard or remote operator making incrementally control valves and deliver it one of the first fully-autonomous the gradual control required for high pieces of heavy equipment. precision digging. It takes on the repetitive and tiring task Other onboard controls include CPUs, of trenching with aplomb and frees- GPUs and GPS units which use global up skilled human operators to work localization, combined with inertial on the more demanding aspects of a motion sensors, to extrapolate data project.
    [Show full text]
  • Earthmoving Construction Automation with Military Applications: Past, Present and Future
    35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018) Earthmoving Construction Automation with Military Applications: Past, Present and Future Q.P. Haa, L. Yenb, and C. Balaguerc a Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia b Land Vehicles & Systems, Defence Science & Technology Group, SA 5111, Australia c Robotics Lab, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain E-mail: { [email protected] ; [email protected]; [email protected] } Abstract – Amongst increasing innovations in Robotic systems used in military applications frontier engineering sciences, the advancements in represent RAS that integrate sensors, vision imaging, Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) has brought actuators, end-effector manipulation, computer control about a new horizon in construction applications. and human interface, operating in hard, heavy and There is evidence of increasing interest in RAS hazardous conditions. In army operations, construction technologies in the civil construction sector being tasks required to enhance the force and the force reflected in construction efforts of many military protection usually include such earthmoving tasks as forces. In particular, Army or ground-based military filling of protective barriers (HESCO baskets), building forces are frequently called upon to conduct retaining walls around storage using dirt (dirt bunding), construction tasks as part of military operations, as well as anti-tank ditching and trenching. For this, a tasks which could be partially or fully aided by the variety of heavy construction machinery such as employment of RAS technologies. Along with recent excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders, graders, rigid advances in the Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber- frame trucks, articulated dump trucks, backhoe loaders, physical system infrastructure, it is essential to rollers, pavers, all-terrain fork lifts, etc.
    [Show full text]
  • Built Robotics to Showcase the Country's First
    Built Robotics to Showcase the Country’s First Commercially Deployed Autonomous Construction Equipment at CONEXPO-CON/AGG San Francisco, California, February 13, 2020: Built Robotics, the nation’s leader in construction robotics, is unveiling to the public for the first time their fully autonomous construction equipment at North America’s largest construction trade show, CONEXPO-CON/AGG. Along with the unveiling, Built Robotics will be hosting live remote control experiences with the robots. The remote control experience will allow show attendees to run a Built robot located in Houston and see first-hand how the robots and technology operate in the field. “We’ve made significant progress launching the first fully-autonomous construction robots. Built is debuting a never-before-seen experience that lets booth visitors manage our robots from a remote distance and see how they work, dig, and operate. This puts cutting-edge technology right in the hands of show attendees,” said Noah Ready-Campbell, CEO of Built Robotics. Built’s technology transforms existing construction equipment — including excavators, bulldozers, and skid steers — into fully autonomous robots. The AI guidance systems can be installed on existing equipment from any manufacturer, while still maintaining complete manual operation capabilities. The upgraded equipment is able to perform common tasks fully autonomously, such as digging trenches, excavating foundations, and grading building pads. The autonomous fleet can be managed via a web-based platform, which allows remote equipment operators to supervise the robots. This software will be available to demo live at CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas. In addition to the booth’s remote control experience, Built Robotics will be joined by construction leaders for a series of tech talks designed to educate and explain how robots have been transforming the job site.
    [Show full text]