Germany’s Center Construction Robotics’ MAXX – Mobile Assembly X-System took home the bauma Innovation Award for Research.
MAXX – Mobile Assembly X-System provides a plug and produce solution for semi-automated, scaffold-free assembly in building refurbishment.
This patented robotic cable platform is adaptive and universally deployable in existing buildings —without extensive data collection or permanent human control.
External building envelope refurbishment is currently unattractive due to the risk of accidents, high physical strain and the lack of variety of tasks.
Watch MAXX in action:
The automation of the process and the resulting relief from physically heavy work significantly improve work safety and increase the quality and efficiency of craft companies. At the same time, MAXX contributes to the preservation of existing buildings, promoting circularity in the construction industry by making future refurbishment faster, more sustainable and less expensive than demolition.
MAXX consists of a lifting platform, positioned on the façade by means of a cable driven system — in this case a mobile Jekko crane. A custom gripper system stabilizes the platform against wind on the façade substructure.
A KUKA robot equipped with a special multi-sensor system positions the Fundermax façade panels, which are transported in a magazine integrated into the platform and attaches them to the substructure.
The KUKA robot learns the panel size, interstice width and the installation process directly from the foreman, who manually installs the first row of panels. The trajectories and installation logic of the first row of panels are automatically captured by the robot using optical sensors. Then, MAXX carries out the installation of the next row, panel by panel, automatically.
A world first is the fully automated robot-crane collaboration: A KUKA robot communicates directly with a Jekko crane via 5G and controls it.
Once a row of façade panels has been completed, the robot reports the next starting position to the crane via 5G and prompts the crane to lift the platform to the next start position in the installation process.
The refurbishment expert does not need to plan, manually control or even program MAXX.
