Advanced Construction Robotics’ IronBOT makes rebar installation faster, safer

Rebar is a steel bar used as a tension device in reinforced concrete or masonry. It’s an essential part of many construction projects, but it can be time-consuming and labor-intensive to install. According to OSHA, 61% of construction accidents are due, in part, to rebar.

Last year, Advanced Construction Robotics released its second rebar-installing robot, IronBOT. While its first robot, TyBOT, self-ties horizontal rebar intersections, IronBOT lifts, carries, and places rebar. IronBOT can lift up to 5,000-lb. (22,267.9 kg) bundles of rebar in a transverse or longitudinal orientation without requiring any heavy lifting from crew members.

IronBOT doesn’t require any pre-programming, pre-mapping, calibration, or BIM input. Once it’s on site, it can begin working within four to eight hours, the company claimed. It also automates rebar placement based on the customer’s spacing requirements.

IronBOT completed its inaugural project alongside TyBOT in February on the Port St. Lucie West Boulevard Bridge in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The robots completed the project alongside Shelby Erectors, a construction company that specializes in building bridges.

The team originally estimated that rebar installation would take 14 days, but when augmenting Shelby’s crew with robots, the same amount of work took only seven days. During the pilot project, IronBOT placed 147,032 lb. (66,692.5 kg) of rebar, and TyBOT completed 58,068 ties over 6.5 production shifts.

IronBOT can work at any time of day or night, even in the rain. With the robot, workers can steer clear of rebar installations, ensuring their safety and freeing them up to do higher-level tasks on the construction site. Its flexible design means it can work on almost any construction site and can be installed quickly, making it a potential game-changing robot for the construction industry.

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