WO2022018137A1 - Method for carrying out a construction process when erecting a building using at least one construction robot - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves an electronic evaluation and control unit being used to store a digital blueprint or a digital construction object model containing nominal dimensions and dimensional tolerances of the respective construction object, and, therein, at least those external dimensions of workpieces that are relevant to the respective construction object. At least one sensor is used to determine the current actual dimensions of the respective construction project and to supply them to the electronic evaluation and control unit. A construction robot is used to search for a workpiece that is to be used subsequently. After this workpiece has been found, the external dimensions of the workpiece that are relevant to the construction process are determined and are used to calculate dimensional deviations, and these are used to decide whether the respective workpiece is laid and/or installed at a position corresponding to the construction project model or is prepared to begin with such that its external dimensions after being laid and/or placed at the respective position are within dimensional tolerances.

Description

Procedure for carrying out a construction process when erecting a

building with the use of at least one construction robot

The invention relates to a method for carrying out a construction process when erecting a building using at least one construction robot with sensory detection of existing dimensional deviations and integrated processing and adjustment of the corresponding workpieces in the automated execution of construction processes (e.g. laying walls or tiling) with the help of a mobile construction robot.

The invention relates in particular to all methods in which the compensation of workpiece tolerances is not possible through average workpiece positioning or joint dimension adjustment and which are carried out directly on the construction site.

Manufacturing and process-related deviations in dimensions and position occur in many construction processes (e.g. laying bricks and tiles). This are caused, among other things, by tolerances in the length, width and height dimensions of the individual workpieces, as well as tolerances in the butt and horizontal joints between the workpieces. All in all, these individual deviations can result in the permissible upper and lower dimensions specified in the construction plan being exceeded or fallen short of. In order to comply with the permissible dimensional tolerances, it is necessary to regularly record and check the current dimensions and, if necessary, adjust the workpieces by subtractive or additive processing (e.g. cutting, breaking, burning, sawing, milling, orders).

Previous mobile devices or robot systems for the automated laying of bricks, tiles or similar objects do not check the tolerance chain or compliance with the permissible dimensions. The objects to be laid are simply lined up. The objects are positioned and aligned either in relation to the objects already laid (e.g. by checking the gap and joint dimensions) or by specifying absolute position and location values (related to a reference system, e.g. construction site coordinate system). Due to the dimensional deviations, absolute position measuring systems are only used for rough positioning. Here, too, fine positioning is carried out using a relative measuring method or by checking the contact pressure when laying the workpieces.

Systems with integrated devices for cutting the workpieces already exist. With these systems, the cutting is done solely on the basis of the planning data defined by the construction plan.

With the existing mobile construction robotic systems, compliance with the permissible tolerances cannot be guaranteed. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that the actual dimensions of the respective building and the workpieces are not regularly measured and compared with the nominal dimensions and permissible tolerances. On the other hand, the workpieces are not adjusted depending on the current dimensional deviations. A practicable use, in which a construction according to applicable standards and guidelines (e.g. DIN 18202 - tolerances in building construction) must be guaranteed, cannot be guaranteed with the previous solutions. The object of the invention is therefore to enable compliance with the permissible tolerances in the automated laying or assembly of workpieces using mobile construction robots in the construction sector.

According to the invention, this object is achieved with a method having the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments and embodiments can be implemented with features specified in the dependent claims.

To solve the task, a process sequence is defined, which includes the control and monitoring of the permissible tolerances as well as the processing of the workpieces. In addition, technical solutions for the implementation of the individual process steps are described.

In the case of the invention, a construction process is carried out using at least one mobile construction robot, which is designed to move and/or assemble workpieces to produce a construction object.

In this case, a digital construction plan or a digital construction object model containing the nominal dimensions and dimensional tolerances of the respective construction object is stored in an electronic evaluation and control unit.

In the electronic evaluation and control unit, at least the relevant external dimensions of workpieces for the respective construction project and possibly also for the respective construction object relevant physical properties (dimensions, mass, position, ..) of workpieces for the construction project are stored.

By means of at least one sensor or a sensor device, the current actual dimensions of the respective construction project are determined and fed to the electronic evaluation and control unit.

At least one mobile construction robot is used to search for a workpiece to be installed in the respective construction process. Data from the digital building object and one or more sensors can be used. After finding the workpiece to be subsequently installed, at least one additional sensor or sensor device is used to determine the external dimensions of the workpiece relevant to the construction process and thus calculate any dimensional deviations from a target value that occur when the respective workpiece is laid and/or assembled. The determined dimensional deviations are used to decide whether the respective workpiece is to be laid and/or assembled at a position corresponding to the construction project model or whether it is processed in advance so that its external dimensions are within dimensional tolerances after laying and/or assembling at the respective position .

Advantageously, the respective actual dimensions can be determined by contact or preferably without contact.

When deciding whether or not to process a workpiece before it is laid and/or assembled, the dimensional tolerances stored in the digital construction project should be taken into account.

The essential novelty of the invention consists in the linking of sensory recording of the actual dimensions of the construction project (structure) and workpiece, the determination and calculation of the dimensional deviations, the control of the permissible tolerances and the adjustment of the workpieces depending on the results of a dimensional tolerance analysis.

The invention forms the basis for complying with the permissible tolerance dimensions in the automated execution of construction processes using mobile robot systems and thus creates the basis for a practical use of future construction robotic systems. The description of a generally applicable process sequence covers a wide range of potential applications (e.g. laying bricks, aerated concrete blocks, tiles, paving slabs, paving stones, drywall, etc. as possible workpieces).

Before the laying or assembly process, a digital construction plan or building model is used to provide information about what is to be installed Workpiece loaded. This can include the type, geometry, material or type designation of the workpiece. With the help of this information, the robot or a separate conveyor unit can search for a suitable workpiece (e.g. on a pallet or in a material store).

Then, with the help of suitable sensors, the actual geometric dimensions and/or the shape of the respective workpiece are recorded. This can be done by using laser distance sensors, laser cut sensors, lidar sensors, ultrasonic sensors, depth cameras, cameras or touch sensors, among others. The corresponding sensors can be arranged on the manipulator of the construction robot or on a base platform. The individual dimensions can be determined before or after the workpiece is picked up by the construction robot. The search for a respective workpiece can also be carried out with the aid of the sensor or the sensor device.

The current actual dimensions of the construction object can be determined either by the sensors of the construction robot or a separate measuring device (e.g. total station or an unmanned flying object/drone). Suitable sensors can be present there for this purpose.

With the help of the nominal dimensions of the construction object, which are contained in the digital construction project model, as well as the actual dimensions of the construction object and workpiece, the dimensional deviations after the laying or assembly of the respective workpiece can be calculated before the respective workpiece is laid and/or assembled. In addition, information on the construction process can be included, which, among other things, provides information on the joint and gap dimensions. The information about the construction process can also be part of the digital construction plan or construction project model, but can also be defined separately. Alternatively, the information on the joint and gap dimensions can also be included in the nominal dimensions. Based on the calculated dimensional deviations and the permissible dimensional tolerances, which are also stored in the digital construction plan or construction project model, a decision is made as to whether the workpiece will be processed or not. Various criteria can be used for the decision, which also take into account the uncertainties of the determined actual dimensions and the calculated dimensional deviations. It is also possible to take into account at least one other sensor or sensor device that was detected when determining the actual dimensions and to compare it with the corresponding nominal dimensions, taking into account the tolerance dimensions of the digital construction project, in order to determine whether a respective workpiece is suitable before it is laid and/or mounting is processed or not.

If it is decided that the workpiece needs to be adjusted, it is adjusted using one or more processing devices, which can be integrated on the construction robot. After editing it can

Workpiece can be measured again in the sense of a processing control and, if necessary, processed again (iterative process). The workpiece is then installed by the robot.

Claims

patent claims 5 1. A method for carrying out a construction process when erecting a structure using at least one mobile construction robot that is designed to lay and/or assemble workpieces for the manufacture of a construction object, in which 10 a digital construction plan or a digital construction object model is stored in an electronic evaluation and control unit, which contains the nominal dimensions and dimensional tolerances of the respective construction object, and 15 in the electronic evaluation and control unit at least the external dimensions of work pieces relevant to the respective construction project are stored for the construction project and 20 by means of at least one sensor or a sensor device, the current actual dimensions of the respective construction project are determined and fed to the electronic evaluation and control unit and with the at least one mobile construction robot the search for a 25 the workpiece to be subsequently installed in the respective construction process is carried out using data from the digital construction object model, after the workpiece to be subsequently installed has been found using at least one/one additional sensor or sensor device BO for the construction process relevant outer dimensions of the workpiece are determined and thus when laying and / or assembling the respective workpiece from a target value occurring Dimension deviations are calculated conditions and thus it is decided whether the respective workpiece at a position corresponding to the construction project model 35 is laid and / or mounted or processed in advance so that its external dimensions are within dimensional tolerances after laying and/or placing at the respective position. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the determination of the actual data is carried out without contact or by touch. 3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in a decision as to whether or not a workpiece is processed prior to laying and/or assembly, dimensional tolerances stored in the digital construction project are taken into account. 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one laser distance sensor, a laser cut sensor, a LIDAR sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a depth imaging camera, a camera or a contact sensor is used as the sensor or sensor device. 5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a further sensor or a sensor device for absolute value measurement is present on a stationary or mobile object, in particular on a tripod or unmanned flying object, with which the determination of actual dimensions on the construction object is carried out will. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that joint and gap dimensions, which have been detected during the determination of the actual dimensions with the at least one further sensor or sensor device, are taken into account and compared with corresponding nominal dimensions, taking into account tolerance dimensions of the digital construction project, to determine whether or not a respective workpiece is processed prior to laying and/or assembly.