State of practice of automation in precast concrete production

A current evaluation of the building industry shows a very low efficiency regarding material use as well as a low level of automation in production and construction. With the industry additionally facing a scarcity of skilled workers in mechanical engineering and construction a development towards automated production processes has been noticeable. With concrete being the main construction material used worldwide this paper will concentrate on the state of the art in automated precast concrete construction, in particular the automated production processes and methods. The high innovation spirit of individual research facilities and companies has resulted in various new applications of robotics and automated systems in the precast industry. A classification of the production processes and production methods according to two level of automation scales will be presented. Furthermore, the environmental, economic and social sustainability dimensions regarding design, production and construction in regard to concrete construction will be addressed.

Automated summary

The current evaluation of the building industry reveals low efficiency in material use and automation level, as well as a scarcity of skilled workers in mechanical engineering and construction. Therefore, there is a noticeable shift towards automated production processes, particularly in the field of precast concrete construction. The high innovation spirit in individual research facilities and companies has led to various new applications of robotics and automated systems in the precast industry.