The Governors of the University of Alberta

Published purpose

This Project integrates Building Information Modeling (BIM) with robotics to revolutionize offsite construction, focusing on steel and mass-timber manufacturing. By leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, and computer vision, it aims to enhance precision, efficiency, and sustainability in construction processes. Over three years, the Project will deliver key outcomes, including a report evaluating BIM-integrated multi-robot systems, an open-source Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) tool for optimizing quality and sustainability, and a framework for knowledge acquisition using ontologies to streamline data flow. Additionally, it will develop a simulation framework to improve robot coordination, reduce waste, and optimize resources in realtime manufacturing, as well as a cyber-physical multi-robot workstation combining BIM, digital twins, and Industrial Robots. These innovations will transform steel construction manufacturing, enabling intelligent automation, reducing errors and resource use, and advancing sustainable and efficient offsite construction practices.