Decentralized, data-informed, robotic-based digital timber micro-factories

The digitization of the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Industry (AEC) and the early adoption of principles from Industry 4.0 has meant shifting most of the site work to factories. Offsite factories and manufacturing workflows have become critical in modular construction. However, recent advances in digital fabrication and digital construction enable a holistic and localized approach that does not require construction to adopt the principles of large-scale offsite manufacturing and its corresponding mega-factories. A decentralized, near-site approach to manufacturing for the construction industry, closer to principles of on-site construction using local material and local labor and with a lower entry cost, is researched. The research presented in this paper focuses on developing an on-site/near-site micro-factory for timber construction. The physical micro-factory is based on principles of modularity and scalability within a minimal footprint and low entry cost for machinery. A fabrication approach based on robot arms suited to various end effectors is presented to enable maximum flexibility. Moreover, a comprehensive data-based digital workflow has been modeled and implemented, enabling design-to-fabrication tools, management, scheduling, machine code generation and control tasks. The framework interfaces between designers, shop managers, shop personnel and stakeholders, allowing precision and vertical integration from design to final fabrication. The paper's proof-of-concept is with a micro-factory set up in a remote area rich in natural resources. Digitally and physically, fabrication sequences are adaptive to respond to the local materials and local skills. Through developing and implementing the physical and digital workflow, the authors present their entrepreneurial efforts to establish a vertically integrated micro-factory for complex timber in remote locations, exploring the localization of supply chains through adaptive digital design and fabrication tools.