Autonomous Manufacturing of Integrative Services

FABRICATION OF INTEGRATED SERVICES – COLLECTIVE ROBOTIC CONSTRUCTION (CRC) FOR ON-SITE PRODUCTION AND INSTALLATION OF BUILDING SYSTEMS IN CONSTRUCTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Technical building equipment (TGA/MEP) places significant demands on cost, time, and resource consumption in both new construction and renovation projects, yet this critical factor is frequently neglected in contemporary discussions of construction industry automation. At the same time, demand for TGA systems in Germany continues to grow, driving up the need for increasingly complex and costly solutions for both new builds and the retrofitting of existing structures.

The present research project therefore aims to develop and evaluate novel methods for the planning and in situ production of utility channels. By focusing on on-site fabrication, the project seeks to reduce logistical overhead and to streamline the installation process without compromising the integrity or performance of essential building services.

Building on prior work at the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD), an autonomous multi-robot system will be adapted for in-situ extrusion and installation of conduit application. Hardware components will be enhanced, control algorithms refined and material-feedstock workflows established to enable on-demand production of service ducts within both newly constructed and existing buiding related environmets.

Within the scope of this project, mobile robots will autonomously navigate designated construction settings to extrude utility pipes from recycled thermoplastics. This method leverages circular material flows and facilitates demand-driven, on-site production of service infrastructure. By demonstrating that robotic units can fabricate and deploy ductwork directly within the building context, the research supports a fundamental shift towards a more adaptive and cost-efficient construction practices.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Prof. Achim Menges
Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD), University of Stuttgart

RESEARCHER

Philipp Kragl (ICD)

PARTNERS

SID STRABAG AG

FUNDING

BBSR - Zukunft Bau - 10.08.18.7-24.41