Development of a Real-Time Control System Architecture for Automated Steel Construction

Abstract

Abstract:The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is developing a real-time control system for a robotic crane (the NIST RoboCrane) that will perform automated structural steel pick-and-place operations. The control system architecture is based on the NIST Real-time Control Systems (RCS) reference model, which defines a system development methodology and a hierarchical control architecture in which system tasks and associated information are decomposed and organized into more easily manageable components or subsets. The task of picking and placing a structural steel beam was decomposed into multiple sub-task levels that must be performed in order to complete the pick-and-place operation. Tasks were decomposed from high-level operator input, such as "Install Beam A" down through the controller to the sensor and actuator level on the crane, at which, for example, voltages are computed and output to individual motors. Each level was organized into a series of control nodes each responsible for executing the sub-tasks at that given level of control. The control nodes share a common generic node model for sensor information processing, world modeling, and behavior generation. The control system development effort and its implementation on RoboCrane are presented in this paper.

RAS: a robotic assembly system for steel structure erection and assembly

“…Shimizu Corporation and Samsung Corporation developed a robot crane end-effector Mighty Jack, Auto-Shackle, and Mighty Shackle Ace for assisting with steel beam positioning and installing (Bock and Linner 2016b). Saidi et al (2006) proposed a RoboCrane system end-effector to manipulate rigging beam precisely. Jung et al (2013a) developed a robot-based construction automation system for high-rise buildings.…”