Time has already come that robots change the way we construct our buildings. Proof? This brick-laying robot that is faster than its human counterparts.
Called SAM, which conveniently stands for Semi-Automated Mason, it can lay 3,000 bricks per day as compared to the human builder which can only average around 500 bricks per day. That makes SAM six times faster than a mason.
It makes use of a conveyor belt, a robotic arm, and concrete pump to do its construction job.
Source: Construction Robotics
The genius behind this invention is New York-based Construction Robotics, which, as its name suggests, develops robots that assist in the construction.
Keyword there is ‘assist’, because the team behind Construction Robotics insists that the worker’s jobs will not be lost to this robot and instead only help them, at least so far. SAM is designed to work side-by-side a mason for onsite masonry construction.
Source: Construction Robotics
“SAM100 is a bricklaying robot for onsite masonry construction. Designed to work with the mason, assisting with the repetitive and strenuous task of lifting and placing each brick. The mason will continue to own the site setup and final wall quality, but will improve efficiency through the operation of SAM,” the company said.
For now, SAM cannot completely eliminate the need for masons on work sites because humans are still required to load bricks and mortar into the system, as well as pointing, brick tying, and cleaning up the excess mortar from joints after bricks have been laid.
According to the company, its main advantages are ergonomics and economics: lower health and safety impact on the workforce; an increase in masons’ productivity by 3-5x while reducing lifting by 80%+; and labor savings.
This isn’t the first time that SAM was introduced to the construction industry. Its CEO and co-founder Scott Peters presented it June of 2016, but now it has a major update.
“SAM100 is faster than ever and running OS 2.0 which now allows soldier course bricks.”
Source: TechXplore
