Development of Mobile Tile Cladding Robot System

An inner construction work robot test system has been designed and evaluated at VTT. The designed, but partially realized, robot system could reach and transfer a payload of 10 kg to any inner surface of such a room in any orientation, the maximum height of which is close to the required 3.2 m. The system consists also of a track based vehicle and process tooling for automated cladding of ceramic tiles. The system can be moved on the construction site using its caterpillar track locomotion. It is connected to the stationary control equipment and energy source with a set of cables. Wall cladding with ceramic tiles is the first test application. Suction cup based gripper equipped with three ultrasonic and a six axis Force/Torque sensor is used. Information of these sensors is fused to decrease radically the ±50 mm inaccuracy of all nominal positions and navigation error.