Keeping Track of Tools “Tracking small tools—whether in repair status, on location or with employees and the associated costs—is one of the most ineffective parts of accounting and internal controls in a construction company,” said Maria Lumke, CFO of Waterline Industries, a New Hampshire-based civil general contractor. “We have tried many things, including inventorying vans, assigning tools to employees and to jobs – to no avail,” she adds. A new solution integrates Hilti ON!Track asset management with Trimble Viewpoint Vista, an ERP solution in the Trimble Construction Onesuite. “Our research shows that each jobsite loses on average one day per month of productivity due to workers searching for tools. In addition, the contractors end up spending up to 90 hours per month tracking tools: in essence, productivity loss for both workers and contractors,” said Michael McGowan, region head and CEO of
Construction Automation On July 13, 2022, D.T. Read Steel Co., Inc., a rebar contractor in Virginia, and English Construction, a general contractor, set an all-time rod tying record on the Rt. 29 Ward Road bridge project in Lynchburg, Va. Using TyBOT by Advanced Construction Robotics, 17,155 ties were completed during one shift. TyBOT is a rebar tying robot that self-navigates, self-ties, and does not require programming or BIM plan input from the crew. TyBOT utilizes artificial intelligence to see, think, and self-adapt to unique jobsite designs. It represents the latest class of construction equipment that works alongside existing crews to ensure project timelines are safely met. The all-time record on the Rt. 29 Ward Road bridge overcomes the previous record of 16,000 ties in a single shift set in February
Hilti North America. “Hilti ON!Track helps eliminate this by tracking tools using field-ready active and passive tags, Bluetooth technology and Gateways.” The integration helps contractors the track, allocate, bill and estimate for accurate tool and equipment use. Other benefits include theft and loss prevention and reduction of double entry and human error. “The product Trimble and Hilti have
developed will be a revolutionary step for internal controls and accountability of tools in a construction company,” said Lumke. Keeley O'Brien, president and CEO of O'Brien Co., an Oregon-based general contractor adds: “It takes mere seconds to transfer tools in the field, eliminating excuses about not having the right tools because no one knows where they are. It’s made it very easy to inventory, track history, and locate tools and equipment.”
of 2021. TyBOT shift lengths vary by project. At an active tie-rate of 1,149 ties/hour, TyBOT outworked its standard production estimates of up to 1,100 ties/hour. TyBOT completed operations on the 12,343 sq. ft. bridge deck in just 5 days, freeing up time and energy for the crew of D.T Read Steel to complete work elsewhere on the project. Total TyBOT ties equaled 37,942 and average tie rate was 1,106 ties/hour. The bridge was part of the Route 29/460 Bridges over Norfolk Southern Railroad project valued at $16.9 Million. “Production at this level is impressive. TyBOT was a great asset to our crew and we are excited to see it making a real difference on our projects,” said Donnie Read, President, D.T. Read Steel Co. Inc. TyBOT easily fits within existing bridge construction infrastructure. The unit uses
the screed rail supports installed for the deck concrete finishing machine, which are required to be in place prior to TyBOT arriving to the jobsite. TyBOT is capable of tying alternating-intersection patterns as well as all-intersection patterns, meeting the specifications of multiple project owners and DOTs. This year, Advanced Construction Robotics will introduce its second robot. IronBOT is a rebar carrying and placing robot that relieves the burden of heavy lifting by self-placing up to 5,000-pound bundles of both transverse and longitudinal rebar. When used together, IronBOT and TyBOT, will increase productivity by at least 250%, estimates the company. Shelby Erectors, which is an Integration Partner with Advanced Construction Robotics and an early adopter of TyBOT, plans to implement IronBOT this year. In an interview with Charles Rathmann published on ForConstructionPros.com, Jack Nix, COO, said: “IronBOT is going to be a game changer. The use of this technology eliminates back-breaking [work]. This will allow people to have better, longer careers. We need to keep our infrastructure going, build and rehabilitate what we have. Robots take some of the physicality out of this, which can help us entice some of the next generation into this industry even as we improve construction schedules and lower cost.”
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