Everett, J G and Slocum, A H (1994) Automation and robotics opportunities: Construction versus manufacturing. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 120(2), pp. 443-452. ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Automation and robots are frequently mentioned as solutions to industrywide problems of increasing costs, declining productivity, skilled-labor short-ages, safety, and quality control. Despite numerous attempts to develop automation and robotics for construction field operations, few practical applications can be found on construction sites today. The promises of robotics remain unfulfilled, and attempts to transfer automation technology from manufacturing have not been optimal. Identification of opportunities for automation requires analysis of construction work at the appropriate level. This paper presents a hierarchical taxonomy that divides construction field operations into several levels. The basic-task level is the appropriate level for construction automation. The paper presents a set of basic tasks that describe construction field work. Construction is compared to highly repetitive manufacturing operations to gain insight into the relationships among product design, process design, and fabrication. In manufacturing, product and process design are closely interrelated. In construction, process design is completely separate from product design, but is intimately related to fabrication. Until construction product and process design become more highly integrated, automation must occur at the basic-task level. Advances in construction automation will continue to be characterized by a machine performing physically intensive basic tasks, operated by a human craftsperson performing the information-intensive basic tasks.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Index terms: | automation, product design, quality control, fabrication, construction work, construction product, taxonomy, robotics, construction site, process design, productivity |
| Subjects: | project delivery, management, economic analysis, operations management, innovation and technology management, design methods, work location, automation and robotics, manufacturing engineering, data analysis and analytics |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Design Practice, Research Practice, Digital Applications, Quality Management, Site Management, Business Strategy, Project Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here