Can Robots Replace Manual Labour In India's Construction Industry?
Construction automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technology are the buzzwords in countries such as Japan and the US and the time has arrived where extensive human-AI collaboration can transform the industries in a big way. On the global front, construction industries are already witnessing breakthroughs in the form of new AI-based developments such as automated vehicles for digging and loading materials, drone-assisted surveillance and robot-assisted bricklaying.
While Japan is aiming for a robotics revolution across various sectors, including construction, the robotics industry in India is still at a nascent stage. However, many renowned companies and startups are exploring ways to tap the potential of AI and robotics in the construction processes. There is clearly a wider scope for the implementation of these technologies in the construction process, right from the initial design stage to on-site construction works to building maintenance functions. Moreover, it can help minimise labour dependence while ensuring increased productivity and quality.
PropGuide brings more insights:
The technology is here to stay
A New York-based company Construction Robotics has successfully created a robot called Semi-Automated Mason (SAM) which can lay 3,000 bricks per day. Saudi Arabia is also likely to involve robotics technology to meet its housing initiatives.
According to a report by Sanctum Wealth Managements Mid-Year Investment Outlook in 2017, AI and automation, along with digital currencies, are the key trends to influence the Indian business landscape in the coming years. Many industry leaders, too, believe that industrial robotics is the need of the hour to resolve the technical challenges and scale up productivity while also tackling the issue of lack of skilled workforce. A recent report by McKinsey Global Institute says that builders and construction workers will witness a growth of 18 per cent by 2030, at a time when the country is expected to lose nine per cent of work hours to automation by 2030.
The adoption of AI and robotics in India, contrary to the West, calls for in-depth research efforts. India's construction industry has recently become a key research field for robotics. The major challenge faced by Robotics and Automation in Construction (RAC) is the unstructured work environment of the construction sector and thus the stage needs to be set through coordination between the numerous participants like architects, builders, suppliers, etc. for the full-fledged integration of this technology with the industry.
A completely automated construction site is the goal of construction companies. For the Smart City Mission and the Housing for All by 2022, there is a requirement for smart real estate and fast-track construction with a growing need for advanced machineries and automation of roads, tunnels, bridge construction, etc. Thus, there has been a lot of emphasis on formulating a comprehensive national policy to promote the development of the robotics industry.
The beginning
Endless Robotics, a Hyderabad-based Indian startup, is working towards bulding intelligent robots to solve dull and dirty problems for construction, maintenance and smart city management. The robot, called WALT, can paint walls about 30 times quicker than a human at a speed of about 60 square feet per minute and can work at heights from 8ft to 14ft.
“We connect with real estate developers as service providers and take up end-to-end contracts. This ensures that we provide value proposition of a better time and cost to them and also make margins during the process. This we do by providing everything that is required for a paint job - the spray machines, the bot, and the skilled workforce. We get paid on per square feet basis.” said the co-founder Srikar Reddy.
Applications of automation and robotics
*Concrete works: This includes material production, concrete mixing, laying, levelling and finishing.
*Remote-controlled demolition: Robots have been used for dismantling concrete slabs, walls and other interior structures.
*Prefabrication and modular construction: This relates to the assembly process as well as the construction business and support processes.
The benefits of automation and robotics in construction industry
*Minimise labour: The labour-intensive construction industry often exposes the workers to dangerous and unhealthy working conditions. Robots, as a simple tool to a fully automated device, can help curtail the workforce requirement, thus ensuring job security by performing complex and repetitive tasks or heavy lifting.
*Enhanced quality: Construction robots guarantee accuracy by minimising the chances of human error, reducing wastage of resources and increasing efficiency. For instance, drones are more feasible and cheaper than manned aircraft or helicopters for accessing remote areas or site surveillance.
*Better safety: With large-scale automation, safety is assured for construction workers who can supervise the machines or robots in risky and dangerous activities rather than undertaking those tasks themselves.
*Sustainability: Robots can be programmed and re-programmed to obtain the desired update and reduce redundancy. Thus, economic utilization of materials and reduction in the waste generation can be achieved through automation technology.
*Enhanced speed: Automated machines or robots can execute tasks at a faster pace with higher precision, thereby ensuring speedy completion of projects.
*3D printing: Robotics can be pivotal in the 3D printing technology which could be adopted by construction companies to effectively print an entire prefabricated building structure and later assemble them into a whole building on-site.