How Robots Are Transforming the Construction Industry

In 2022, the global construction robotics market was valued at $168.2 million and is expected to reach an impressive $774.6 million by 2032. 

What’s driving the sudden adoption boom?

According to the European Construction Industry Federation, in 2023, 81% of companies expressed concern over rising prices of materials and energy while 67% faced challenges due to a shortage of skilled workers. As these and other challenges persist, robotics and automation offer a valuable solution, helping leaders to navigate the industry's current pressures and ultimately stay competitive. 

In fact, many organizations have actually already embraced these technologies, from robotic arms laying bricks to autonomous haulers carrying dirt back and forth across uneven terrain. These construction robotics are ushering in a new age of construction where companies can get more done per shift while also filling existing worker gaps.

In this article, we’ll cover some of the types, applications, benefits, and current trends of construction robotics and automation to consider for your organization.

3 Types of Construction Robots

1. Drones

Over the years, drone technology has been shown to boost productivity at construction sites by 50-60%. Drones are growing in popularity within construction due to their ability to easily survey and monitor entire job sites, which gives leaders a complete progress overview of a job. Equipped with advanced cameras and sensors, drones are remotely operated to capture high-resolution images and generate accurate 3-D maps. Some ways drones are being used are to:

1. Identify potential hazards to workers on site
2. Map an entire job site for better project planning
3. Capture images of different parts of a site for better progress monitoring

For instance, Pomerleau, a Canadian construction company, is bringing drone technology to its clients for 3-D site mapping to improve project tracking. In fact, at the inception of this program, demand for drone technology to be used on sites has increased more than 400% from Pomerleau’s clients across Canada.

2. Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous vehicles like AGVs (automated guided vehicles) and AMRs (automated mobile robots) are gaining ground in construction. These AVs, such as autonomous bulldozers, excavators, and trucks, are typically outfitted with advanced navigation systems and sensors, allowing them to operate with little to no human intervention. This allows them to safely and efficiently carry out tasks like excavation, material transportation, and site grading with enhanced precision and reliability. 

Today, autonomous vehicles are commonly being deployed on construction sites. Construction company Robins and Morton collaborated with Honda to test its autonomous work vehicle on two job sites. During these trials, David Pratt, Director of Corporate and Operational Technology, stated that these autonomous vehicles could significantly “increase efficiencies on our project sites and provide insight for our other partners in the building industry.”

3. Industrial Robots

Unlike autonomous vehicles, industrial robots perform a wider range of repetitive tasks, from demolition to welding. We can categorize these robots into two main types: stationary and mobile.

• Stationary Robots: These robots are fixed in place, similar to robotic arms. Because of this, they are best for tasks that require high precision in controlled environments, such as welding, 3D printing, and assembly. In construction, these robots, such as the C-U Brick, are often found in prefabrication facilities where components such as walls, beams, and modules are produced. 

• Mobile Robots: These robots are equipped with wheels, tracks, or legs, and are therefore fit for more dynamic environments than stationary robots. They can navigate construction sites autonomously, performing tasks like material transportation, site inspection, and surveillance. For example, a mobile robot might autonomously transport materials and inspect hard-to-reach areas on a construction site.

  Collaborative Robots

Unlike mobile and stationary robots, collaborative robots (cobots) are designed to work alongside human workers. Cobots are designed to operate in close proximity to humans, taking on tasks like heavy lifting, repetitive assembly, and precise operations that require a high level of accuracy. Their built-in safety features allow them to navigate shared workspaces without putting human workers at risk. 

For example, Hadrian X is a bricklaying cobot that uses a 3D CAD model of a building design. This advanced cobot works alongside human workers by precisely placing bricks according to the digital blueprint, which significantly speeds up  production and improves accuracy on these sites.

Articulated Robots

Articulated robots are a highly versatile and powerful tool in the industry, known for their ability to perform complex tasks with precision. Due to their multiple rotational joints that mimic the movement of a human arm, they excel at intricate jobs like material handling, cutting, and painting. Plus, their multiple degrees of freedom allow them to reach and operate in confined areas that are challenging for larger or less agile machines, such as tunnels, crawl spaces, and pipelines.

For instance, the KUKA KR QUANTEC is a key example of an articulated robot, designed to handle welding, cutting, or material handling in tight spaces or on challenging terrain.

Its flexibility is seen by the fact it can even operate in three different modes: performance, path, and dynamic mode to improve operations. 

• Performance mode boosts speed for material handling
• Path mode improves movement precision
• Dynamic mode cuts cycle times by 10% with its faster speeds.

Examples and Applications of Construction Robots

Bricklaying Robots

Bricklaying robots can precisely place each brick, ensuring consistent quality and reducing the likelihood of human error. By speeding up this tedious process, they help boost productivity and meet tight deadlines.

For example, the SAM (Semi-Automated Mason) robot can lay 250 to 300 bricks per hour, which is four times more than that of a human. As a result, SAM has been shown to reduce additional labor costs by up to 30% and enable workers to concentrate on more valuable tasks such as project planning and site management. 

Offsite Manufacturing

Offsite manufacturing uses robots to produce building components in a controlled factory setting, which are then transported to the construction site for assembly. By automating tasks such as cutting, shaping, and assembling, organizations can boost productivity, precision, and quality control, especially because work is not subject to weather delays or site constraints. 

We see this a lot in modular building construction, where entire building sections or rooms are pre-fabricated in a factory and then assembled on-site. This approach speeds up the entire construction process, improving efficiency and reducing on-site labor.

Mining Automation

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, mining fatalities rose almost 22% between 2020 and 2021. However, automation and teleoperation at mining sites can cut down the need for on-site workers by more than 50%.

By 2030, up to 30% of manual mining tasks will be automated. Automation is playing a key role in the mining industry as this technology advances and organizations are looking for a way to boost safety. Safety continues to be a major concern in the mining industry, where the fatality rate is more than three times higher than the average for all industries.

One notable example of an autonomous vehicle is Komatsu's Autonomous Haulage System to move bulk materials. Los Bronces, a Chilean mining company, uses Komatsu’s AHS to autonomously haul copper that’s been extracted after its been manually loaded by workers. Currently, their 550+ autonomous hauling trucks have moved over 5.3 million tons of material with zero related worker injuries.

Additionally, automated systems provide real-time data and monitoring, enabling better decision-making and resource management. As a result, it’s been found that automation can boost productivity in mines by 20%. 

Teleoperated Robots

Despite accounting for only 4.7% of the workforce, 20% of all worker deaths occur in construction. This is where teleoperation comes into play to help improve worker safety and decrease this number. Teleoperation allows construction robots to be remotely controlled from a safe distance, whether from within the same city, across states, or even from other countries. 

Through teleoperation, operators can easily oversee operations in a controlled environment, cities, states, or even countries away. In the event of a system malfunction or physical object blocking a robots path, operators can seamlessly take over control of a robot to prevent any mishaps.

Benefits of Robotics and Automation in the Construction Industry

Overcoming Labor Shortages

If you’re experiencing labor challenges, you’re not alone. In a 2022 survey by the Associated General Contractors of America, 88% of leaders attributed hiring challenges to a shortage of qualified candidates.

As a result:

• 66% of firms report project delays due to labor shortages.
• 83% fear that the workforce shortage and resulting inexperienced skilled labor pool will challenge worker safety and health
• 45% say they’ve been forced to turn down work due to skilled labor shortages

In addition to hiring challenges, the industry faces an aging workforce and declining interest from younger generations. In 2022, only 16.8% of construction workers were Gen-Z compared to 66.9% of construction workers being millennials or Gen-X. 

As a result, companies are increasingly turning to automation to bridge the gap and keep projects moving forward. Robotics are able to boost productivity levels, ensure project deadlines are met, and promise continuity in operations by filling labor gaps.

Lower Costs

In construction, labor accounts for 25-30% of total expenses. However, construction robotics play a significant role in lowering these costs by automating labor-intensive tasks. This helps organizations reduce the need for a large workforce and cuts down on labor expenses. Additionally, their precision and consistency allow construction companies to complete tasks faster, helping minimize material waste and save money on raw materials.

Increased Workplace Efficiency

Studies have revealed that 35% of construction companies are using AI-powered equipment solely to boost efficiency. As you can imagine, by automating repetitive and labor-intensive tasks, construction robots help optimize processes and enhance throughput. 

Interestingly enough, these robots can actually perform tasks faster and with greater accuracy than manual labor, reducing downtime and delays. As a result, organizations can achieve higher output with fewer resources, leading to increased profitability and competitiveness in the market.

Better Quality Control

The precision of construction robots ensures that every task, from bricklaying to welding, is done with consistent accuracy This consistency leads to higher-quality work and fewer defects.

Take bricklaying robots not only lay bricks but also handle automated inspections and measurements. This allows leaders to spot and address quality issues on the spot, leading to better outcomes and higher client satisfaction.

Improved Health and Safety

As previously explored, construction can be a dangerous space to work in, as the industry alone has a fatality rate that’s increased an astounding 145% between 2017 and 2022. Fortunately, robotics technology is key to enhancing health and safety on construction sites, and a main driver for adoption. In fact, a recent survey of construction workers found that 30% of workers believe robotic technology could make their work safer. 

Sustainability

The construction industry emits a staggering 37% of global emissions. However, construction robots contribute significantly to sustainability efforts in the industry. By optimizing material usage and minimizing waste, these robots help reduce the environmental impact of projects. 

Plus, they enhance energy efficiency by performing tasks with greater precision and less rework, which cuts down on the resources needed. For example, in 3D concrete printing, robotic technology produces the precise amount of eco-friendly or recycled material needed for building structures, which all contributes to a lower carbon footprint.

The Role of AI and Machine Learning in Construction Robotics

Although automation and robotics aren't yet widespread in construction due to large up-front costs and evolving technology, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is driving their adoption.

How?

AI improves robotics by enabling them to learn from vast amounts of data and adapt to changing conditions on-site.

AI algorithms can analyze construction site data to optimize robotic performance, predict maintenance needs, and enhance task accuracy. For instance, machine learning models can analyze images collected from drones and use those images to identify potential safety hazards on site. By integrating this advanced technology, construction robots become more intelligent and efficient, driving innovation in the industry.

Trends to Watch in Construction Robotics

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a new trend in construction that creates digital replicas of building projects. As BIM continues to evolve, its integration with robotics will further enhance automation in construction. BIM integrated robots can use these models to perform building tasks such as layout, assembly, and inspections. 

For instance, Tybot, an autonomous rebar-tying robot can be integrated with BIM to visualize a rebar layout in 3-D, which enables it to work continuously without human intervention. By leveraging BIM data, Tybot and other construction robots can accurately interpret building plans, identify optimal paths, and collaborate with other robotic systems.

Humanoid Laborer Robots

Unlike cobots, humanoids aren’t widespread yet and represent a slower-moving trend in the industrial sector. Nonetheless, as they evolve, they are becoming cost effective solutions to filling labor gaps and boosting production speeds. 

Humanoid labor robots both look like and can mimic human movements, which enables them to perform tasks in environments built for human workers. These robots are equipped with advanced sensors, artificial intelligence, and dexterous manipulators, enabling them to perform tasks traditionally reserved for human workers. 

From site inspections to assembly tasks, humanoid robots can work in dynamic environments, unlike their industrial robot counterparts. As they continue to become a new norm, humanoid robots will become powerhouses in enhancing productivity and efficiency on construction sites.

Prefabrication

Prefabrication is another growing trend as companies look for ways to streamline construction processes and improve efficiency. This approach involves manufacturing building components transporting them to the construction site for assembly. Robotics play a crucial role in prefabrication by automating the production of these components, ensuring precision and consistency.

For example, the construction company Skanska uses robotic systems in its prefabrication facilities to automate tasks like concrete formwork and assembly. By leveraging this technology, can ensure consistent quality across prefabricated elements.

Robotics Solutions from Cyngn

One way to incorporate robotics and enhance safety and efficiency at your job site is through Cyngn's fleet of self-driving AMRs. By taking on repetitive hauling tasks without the need for special infrastructure, your organization can transform the way you get work done.

"DriveMod turns every shift into a productivity powerhouse,” says Cyngn’s VP of Engineering, Sean Stetson. “On average, companies that use DriveMod Tuggers have seen a 34% increase in productivity and a 64% reduction in labor costs.”

Plus, we understand that safety is key in the industry. That’s why our vehicles are equipped with advanced safety features including a 3D lidar sensor that brings 360° vision to the vehicle and a decision engine that can make decisions 3x faster than a human driver. This means your organization can elevate its safety standards to new heights, breaking the cycle of costly incidents to create a safer, more positive, and productive work environment.

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