FBR robots to build houses for German manufacturer

Perth construction robotics company FBR has announced its Hadrian X bricklaying robot will be used in a pilot program to build two prototype houses for German brick manufacturer Xella.

Xella will provide its Ytong autoclaved aerated concrete blocks and Silka calcium silica blocks which will be calibrated for Hadrian X and used to build houses at FBR’s Australian facility.

Ytong are large format blocks while Silka are a low-energy building block in common use internationally.

FBR Managing Director, Mike Pivac said: “We are very pleased to be working with another high quality block supplier with global reach as we continue to commercialise our automated bricklaying technology.

“Xella are known for their innovative products, and we are looking forward to working with them to progress the global scaling of the Hadrian X.”

The trials will enable both companies to better understand each other’s capabilities within the limitations of international travel imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

A later European pilot building program is envisaged.

The Xella trial is one of a number completed by FBR, whose Hadrian X robot has achieved peak lay speed of 200 large blocks per hour.

This is the equivalent of 2,200 standard bricks using manual labour.

Pivac said 2021 would be a year of international expansion for FBR, and its Wall as a service (WaaS) construction arm.

The company plans to establish WaaS ‘operating entities’ to build block walls in Europe, North America, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Picture: FBR

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