Construction robot Hadrian can now lay 360 bricks per hour
Masonry robot Hadrian can now lay 20 percent more bricks per hour. However, it works more slowly on complex structures.
Masonry robot Hadrian in action on a construction site.
(Image: FBR Limited/Screenshot)
The Australian construction robot Hadrian from robotics company FBR Limited can now erect house structures autonomously even faster. The robot is said to be able to lay a maximum of 360 bricks per hour. Previously, it was 300 bricks. A practical test shows that the actual value is significantly lower; however, once the robot has to build a more complex wall structure independently.
The robot essentially consists of a truck with a boom arm that can be extended up to 32 m. The truck has a driver's cab, so the necessary bricks can also be transported to a construction site with it.
With the boom arm, it can lay bricks with a maximum weight of 45 kg in US dimensions up to 60 cm x 40 cm x 30 cm on an already completed foundation. The bricks are firmly bonded together with fast-curing construction adhesive, Fastbrick Adhesive. The adhesive cures within about 45 minutes. Conventional mortar is not suitable for this because it would take too long to achieve the necessary strength.
The robot receives information about the construction of the structure from a CAD plan. Hadrian determines the required bricks from this and arranges them independently accordingly to save as much material as possible.
Faster House Construction
The robot can erect simple straight wall structures at a speed of up to 360 bricks per hour, FBR promises. That's 20 percent more than before the upgrade Hadrian received.
In practice, however, the robot bricks more complex structures more slowly. However, it should be considered that higher accuracy and reliability were also prioritized here. To this end, the robot has a stabilization system that compensates for unwanted movements and vibrations in real time to achieve a precise result. In a test structure, the robot was able to erect a construction of a total of 751 blocks at an effective speed of 360 blocks per hour.
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The robot is extremely robust, FBR promises. It is said to be operational even in strong winds of up to 60 km/h and to function in light rain.
The robot is suitable for the construction of residential buildings and commercial facilities. However, Hadrian is not exactly cheap: FBR offers it at a price of 7,800,000 Australian dollars, which is equivalent to approximately 4,355,130 Euros.
(olb)
