The International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction
Publications / 2010 Proceedings of the 27th ISARC, Bratislava, Slovakia
Site Automation - Does it Pay off?
Processes on a job site resemble an industrial manufacturing process. Different stages depend on each other, but are often carried out independently. Automating a job site by utilizing machine control is a way to increase productivity and reduce the operating costs. To meet the tight time schedule for a project one needs to take care of data management, stake-out and execution. This is where machine control (MC) needs to be factored in to allow its implementation into logistics and processes. If MC systems are to be used this has to be planned, prepared and executed by the persons in charge of the site management. Only if the design data is strictly adhered to each additional planning and design stage, machine control can be executed successfully. An efficient process control based on design data is directly turned into an increase in productivity and dramatically cost savings. Critical factors in job site automation are the efficient implementation of design models and especially the task of integrating survey and stake-out jobs into the on-site processes. This needs a direct link between survey results and machine control as well as continuous exchange of data during the full process.