{"id":16689,"date":"2024-04-04T09:24:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T22:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=16689"},"modified":"2024-10-21T20:19:41","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T10:19:41","slug":"the-rise-of-intelligent-robots-why-dfma-is-set-for-takeoff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/the-rise-of-intelligent-robots-why-dfma-is-set-for-takeoff\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rise of ‘Intelligent Robots’: Why DFMA is Set for Takeoff!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

“Intelligent” robots now produce custom-cut panels of mass timber walls, floors, and ceilings. The panels are then bound together in factories before being assembled onsite as part of multi-storey mass timber housing projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is according to the Canadian-based Journal of Commerce<\/a>, which reports that Intelligent City is using remote-controlled robots to produce “Quick Builds,”\u00a0Canada’s latest policy to tackle its spiralling housing crisis.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, and machine learning are the next frontiers for construction. Last year,<\/a> Wood Central reported that John McMullen from the US Modular Building Institute said AI is changing the construction industry “forever,” adding that “efficiencies can reduce building times and material waste.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And there is no clearer indication of the change sweeping construction than at Intelligent City’s manufacturing plant, located halfway between downtown Vancouver and the US border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SECOND
Inside Intelligent City. The factory, which opened in 2021 and began producing mass timber parts earlier this year, has five big industrial robots arranged in manufacturing assembly zones that comprise a safe assembly line. The robots, which are remote-controlled with proprietary software, lift, position, and custom-cut panels of mass timber walls, floors, and ceilings. (Photo Credit: Journal of Construction).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“The new factory was set up at the end of 2021 and started producing commercial mass timber panels in January 2024,” according to Oliver Lang, Intelligent City’s CEO and co-founder, who added that five giant industrial robots are arranged onsite in manufacturing assembly zones that together comprise a safe assembly line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Electrical channels and ventilation ducts then cut into the panels before they leave the factory,” Mr Lang said, adding that the facility is supplying the facade system for a new nine-story mass timber housing project on behalf of the BC Indigenous Housing Society’s affordable housing program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The design uses cross-laminated timber floors and envelope panels – with the panels installed into a basket-weave pattern around the building’s exterior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Mr Lang, Intelligent City has two fundamental goals: “the availability of supply” and “reduced carbon emissions.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intelligent City dates back to 1999, when it was established as an architectural practice. In 2010, it spun out a sister company to capitalise on a gap in the market to deliver turnkey projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We provide design-build housing solutions,” according to Mr Lang, who said, “Our preferred customer wants a fully integrated solution from us.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until now, Intelligent City’s “sweet spot” has been six to 18-storey buildings, primarily due to British Columbia’s building code, which, until this month, had only allowed a 12-storey mass timber build.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Is
Is timber in the future mix for Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and cities across Canada? Wood Central has used AI technology to look at a future Vancouver skyline with mass timber buildings. (Photo Credit: Wood Central)\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

However, with changes under review to the BC Building Code, which could see permissible mass timber buildings rise to 18 storeys<\/a>, that could soon change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Smart densification is the direction many cities are going in,” Mr Lang said, adding that “they’re sometimes called 15-minute cities.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 15-minute City is an urban planning concept in which most daily necessities \u2013 work, shopping, education, health care and leisure \u2013 can occur within a 15-minute radius via foot, bike or public transport. The goal is to reduce car dependency, promote healthy and sustainable living and improve city dwellers’ well-being and quality of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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