Australia’s one-armed robot bricklayer could transform the residential construction sector as we know it after building its first display home in less than four days.
Described by its Perth-based creator, Fastbrick Robotics (FBR), as a “world first”, the Hadrian X is a robotic arm that mounts onto a truck, barge or crane. It is capable of laying 1000 bricks an hour, compared to human bricklayers who can lay around 500 a day.
The Hadrian X completed the structural walls of its first display home in Dayton, in Perth’s north-eastern suburbs, in early July. Structural brickwork for the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home was completed in just 3.5 standard shifts.
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The Hadrian X robo-bricklayer can lay 1000 bricks an hour. Picture: Fastbrick Robotics.
![Bricklayer walls](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 2000 1500"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The structural walls of this Perth display home were constructed in less than four days. Picture: Fastbrick Robotics.
FBR chief executive officer Mike Pivac said deploying Hadrian X for the display home build was a milestone for the automated home construction sector.
“Digital construction has taken a significant step forward with the completion of this structure using the Hadrian X, the world’s first and only mobile autonomous bricklaying robot,” Mr Pivac said.
“[The Dayton site] is our first in the suburbs…Throughout the course of 2020, we’ll do a number of these because every time we do this, obviously, the learnings of the team are just immense.”
FBR CEO Mike Pivac (left) says the Hadrian X is a world first and only mobile autonomous bricklaying robot. FBR CTO Mark Pivac (right). Picture: Fastbrick Robotics.
Mr Pivac said Archistruct Builders and Designers would complete the project including applying face brick to the exterior of the structure.
“Once complete, FBR intends to open the display home to the public and to current and potential collaborators, suppliers and customers from international markets to demonstrate and promote the use of the Hadrian X in residential home construction,” he said.
“We expect this first display home build will attract significant interest globally.”
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Archistruct Builders and Designers will complete the project. Picture: Fastbrick Robotics.
Mr Pivac said FBR was proud to be at the forefront of construction robotics and was committed to fine-tuning its processes to ensure the best outcomes.
“We will continue to capture and improve as we build a few more houses in WA in the coming months and position ourselves for the future. We’re feeling pretty upbeat and buoyant about that,” he said.
The display home will be opened to the public upon completion. Picture: Fastbrick Robotics.
“While the borders are locked and while we can’t travel overseas, of course, we have to keep our eyes close to home right now. We’ve got a lot of support from the building community at the moment, a lot of interest.
“The government is doing a great job of stimulating the economy.
“What we know, having been on the journey for over 15 years is that recessions usually recover due to construction and technology, and we just happen to be in the construction-technology business so we feel that we’ll be a part of whatever Australia does to come out the other side of the COVID-19 environment in a positive way.”