Souravik Dutta

Postdoctoral Research Fellow | University of Alberta | Intelligent Robotics and Automation

DfX of a Modular Worktable for Robotic Handling of Cross-Laminated Timber Panels in Off-Site Construction


In Review


Jessica Janeth Cisneros Gonzalez, Souravik Dutta, Afia Rasool, Ying Hei Chui, Rafiq Ahmad

Cite

Cite

APA   Click to copy
Gonzalez, J. J. C., Dutta, S., Rasool, A., Chui, Y. H., & Ahmad, R. DfX of a Modular Worktable for Robotic Handling of Cross-Laminated Timber Panels in Off-Site Construction.


Chicago/Turabian   Click to copy
Gonzalez, Jessica Janeth Cisneros, Souravik Dutta, Afia Rasool, Ying Hei Chui, and Rafiq Ahmad. “DfX of a Modular Worktable for Robotic Handling of Cross-Laminated Timber Panels in Off-Site Construction,” n.d.


MLA   Click to copy
Gonzalez, Jessica Janeth Cisneros, et al. DfX of a Modular Worktable for Robotic Handling of Cross-Laminated Timber Panels in Off-Site Construction.


BibTeX   Click to copy

@unpublished{jessica-a,
  title = {DfX of a Modular Worktable for Robotic Handling of Cross-Laminated Timber Panels in Off-Site Construction},
  author = {Gonzalez, Jessica Janeth Cisneros and Dutta, Souravik and Rasool, Afia and Chui, Ying Hei and Ahmad, Rafiq}
}

Abstract

This research presents the design and development of a modular worktable of a robotic cell specifically engineered for the handling of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels in offsite construction. Unlike previous studies, this work uniquely focuses on the worktable as a critical component, addressing the need for reconfigurability and assemblability in offsite
construction components manufacturing while ensuring the stability required to withstand operational stresses. The worktable’s design implements the Design for Excellence (DfX) approach to incorporate the desired features. Specifically, a comprehensive Design for Reconfigurability, Assemblability, and Stability (DfRAS) methodology with relevant guidelines
is proposed to prepare algorithms for the selected design criteria. The developed algorithms incorporate qualitative principles to provide the final design of the worktable. The worktable’s components and modular configuration were selected to accommodate multiple robotic operations on CLT panels of different shapes and sizes. A simulation was performed in CAD software to evaluate the structural integrity of the worktable under the load exerted by the CLT panels. The analysis confirms that the designed worktable can be reconfigured and reassembled to support a range of robotic operations on various CLT panels while avoiding movements due to load imbalance. This paper fills a significant gap in existing research by providing a detailed examination of the worktable design, supported by both theoretical analysis and simulation results based on some DfX criteria. The presented design process for modular worktables offers a practical and innovative solution to enhance precision and efficiency in off-site mass timber construction.

Keywords

Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT)
Robotic manufacturing
Modular worktable
DfX
Design for reconfigurability
Design for assemblability
Design for stability