Tower Crane Conveyor System for Automated Block Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated construction systems face inefficiencies and limitations in speed, accuracy, and scalability due to design complexities and the need for extensive human resources, particularly when constructing multi-story buildings using building blocks, as they require multiple telescopic arms and complex gripper systems that compromise rigidity and block size, leading to increased construction time and material waste.
Innovation Solution
A tower crane system with a conveyor line system comprising a vertical tower conveyor, horizontal boom conveyor, and vertical trolley conveyor, along with a building block installer, which allows for the automated movement and installation of larger building blocks by reducing the number of arms and enhancing structural rigidity, enabling the construction of multi-story structures with improved accuracy and speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a two-arm telescopic manipulator is used for automated building block construction, then automation is achieved, but the system creates large oscillation that stabilization cannot cope with, making the installation process long and reducing accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The manipulator is divided into multiple telescopic sections that can extend and retract independently, allowing the system to reach larger distances while maintaining stability through segmented movement control
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic stabilization techniques to counteract oscillations during block installation, adapting the control system to maintain precision despite the telescopic arms in motion
2Length of moving object
If the arms are telescoped to increase working range, then the system can construct larger buildings, but the internal space of the arm is reduced, causing the maximum usable size of the building block to be very small
Solution Approach 1:
The block moving system and piping and cabling are nested within the telescopic arm sections, allowing the arms to extend to greater lengths while accommodating necessary internal components without increasing the overall footprint
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from horizontal arm movement to vertical telescoping, utilizing the vertical dimension to achieve extended reach while maintaining adequate internal space for block handling
3Length of moving object
If multiple telescopic sections are used in one arm, then the working range is increased, but the design complexity increases and rigidity decreases, negating the ability to accurately position the blocks
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic arm design serves multiple functions: it provides extended reach, accommodates block moving systems, houses piping and cabling, and maintains rigidity through standardized sections, reducing the need for separate components
4Ease of operation
If the block moving system uses a double-sided gripper that grips the building block and moves along the arm, then the block can be transported, but only one block can be in the arm at a time, reducing construction speed
Solution Approach 1:
Blocks are pre-positioned in a magazine or storage area adjacent to the manipulator, allowing the gripper to quickly load and unload blocks without interrupting the overall construction process
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous block supply to the manipulator through automated feeding mechanisms, ensuring that the gripper is always ready to install the next block without idle time
5Length of moving object
If the size of the jaws of the gripper is reduced to fit smaller blocks, then the gripper can handle smaller building blocks, but the quality of block holding is lost and more pressure is required which can damage the block
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper system adjusts its parameters (jaw size, pressure, grip position) dynamically based on the size and material of the building block being handled, allowing optimal performance across different block types
Data Source
AI summary
A device and method for automated erection of structures are provided. The device comprises a tower crane comprising a tower, a boom mounted on the tower and configured to vertically move along the tower, and a trolley mounted on the boom and configured to horizontally move along the boom. The device comprises a trolley conveyor body connected to the trolley and configured to vertically move relative to the trolley, and a conveyor line system comprising a vertical tower conveyor inside the tower, a horizontal boom conveyor inside the boom, and a vertical trolley conveyor inside the trolley conveyor body. The device comprises a building block installer connected to the trolley conveyor body. The conveyor line system is configured to move a building block from the inlet at the tower base to the outlet at the building block installer, where it is gripped and installed on a structure being erected.