JANUARY
2020
LAURUS
LAURUS LOOKING AT THE FUTURE: ROBOTICS AND THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY www.laurusprojects.com.au
JANUARY 2020
ROBOTICS AND THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AT LAURUS PROJECTS WE ARE KEENLY INTERESTED IN KEEPING AN EYE ON THE FUTURE AND UNDERSTANDING HOW OUR INDUSTRY MAY CHANGE, HOW WE CAN BEST ADAPT TO THE CHANGE AND EVEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
world
Industrial robots have essentially been a good
starting to introduce robotics it won’t be long
introduction into other industries including
before more of the construction industry
manufacturing. The technology has provided
utilises this ever-developing technology to
businesses with benefits that affect their
produce buildings faster and cheaper.
bottom line; robots are efficient, their tasks
With
many
industries
across
the
DECEMBER 2020
tend to be completed quicker, and they can
Workforce Changes
work for a lot longer than those in manual labour jobs, both on a day to day basis and long
As in any industry that introduces robotics,
term.Â
there is likely to be some changes to the workforce, however this should act as an
With that in mind, it is worth exploring how
encouragement to those in the industry to
robotics is currently, and will continue to assist
expand their skills and training. At this stage,
the construction industry in the future.
robots are not expected to take over entire jobs for some time, rather they will complete certain
Automated Technology
tasks – specifically those that expose workers to dangerous situations. It is thought that the skills
One of the main reasons for the introduction of
of those within the construction industry will
robotics into industry is that they allow for
look very different to what it does today,
automation of various processes as well as
although it is expected to be a gradual change.Â
allowing for consistent processing rather than having the business shut down every night.
Efficient Construction Process
Within the construction industry, it is expected that tasks like welding, handling of materials,
Better efficiency is something many businesses
and packing will eventually become fully
within the construction industry look for, with
automated.
the aim to reduce wasted time and product. The more traditional construction process does
This of course leads into the next change that
tend to have a lot of waste, whether that be
will be seen in the quality of work.
materials or product, which is detrimental to the environment, profitability and the client.
Quality Increase
Businesses may still find investment in robotics to be quite high, but as technology gets better
Because robotics is completely automated, the
and cheaper to produce, products that allow for
manufacture of parts and materials is expected
efficient processes will get more affordable.
to be of higher quality and more consistent. Human interaction does tend to lead to errors
Customisable Developments
and inconsistency whereas by utilising robots, their ability to repeat the same process over
One of the big benefits of robotics is the ease of
and over without inconsistency is certainly a
being able to customise work. There will no
benefit to the industry.
longer be a requirement to follow so many steps to produce a particular design or change
DECEMBER 2020
a design to suit the needs of a client. 3D printing is already allowing businesses within the construction industry to produce prototypes and samples before getting stuck into manufacturing and building, and as these printers get more affordable, businesses will be able to print parts and components to allow for customisation on site. Robotics will allow the construction industry to meet the needs and wishes of a client instead of pushing the client into what is available. While there are some downfalls to robotics being introduced into the construction industry – namely within workforce numbers – there are plenty of benefits for businesses to look forward to.