This Robot Can Build A House In Two Days

A prototype robot that can lay 1,000 bricks per hour and build a normal-sized frame for a house in less than two days.

Fastbrick Robotics, a West Australian company has been making headlines the past couple hours because they just confirmed that they have a prototype robot that can lay 1,000 bricks per hour and build a normal-sized frame for a house in less than two days.

CEO of Fastbrick Robotics, Mike Pivac, says that even though it’s still a prototype, the company is hopeful that they will manage to bring a commercial machine into the industry within the next two years.

The robot is named Hadrian, after the ancient Roman emperor, who was renown for his vast infrastructure policy. “He built a lot of walls for the Romans”, said Pivac. Indeed, there is the famous Hadrian’s Wall, in the UK. “We also intend on building a lot of walls”.

The robot is named Hadrian, after the ancient Roman emperor, who was renown for his vast infrastructure policy. “He built a lot of walls for the Romans”, said Pivac. “We also intend on building a lot of walls”. 

The technology was developed by Pivac himself, who is trained as both an aeronautic and mechanical engineer. Hadrian has already cost $7 million Australian dollars in research and development.

Hadrian manages the pack of bricks completely, from handling and processing, to laying them, all without humans. A 3D computer program helps assist with machine cuts, routes and manages to the accuracy of the brick laying using a 28 meter telescopic boom.

Hadrian is equipped to use any brick on the market. He is also programed to account for electric and plumbing structures that would be laid into the wall afterwards, as well as the windows and doors.

By comparison, an average house takes around 15,000 bricks to build and takes between five to six weeks to complete. Hadrian, on the hand, manages from the slab to the cap height (literally from the ground to roof), in less than two days. This means that not only will it cut down the time, but also the cost.

Pivac assures the need of bricklayers, anyways, though. The company will need a machine operator and a human bricklayer to oversee the process. However, the future of most bricklayers will be uncertain at best, by the time this technology hits the market.

Pivac expects to see the technology licensed, so it can be shipped overseas as well.