All Auger-ee, DeWalt isn’t Screwing Around with Concrete Working Robot

Black and yellow robots may soon be coming to a data center construction site near you.

A recent partnership between the renowned DeWalt tool brand and technology pioneer August Robotics has resulted in an innovation that promises to accelerate construction, particularly in the high-demand data center sector.

The autonomous mobile robot platform combines our favorite black-and-yellow tool brand with one of our favorite technology topics to assist with one of our favorite construction trades: concrete work. The role of this platform is to drill thousands of holes in prescribed patterns, holes which provide anchor points for server racks, shelving, and supports for the electrical, networking, and plumbing infrastructure common throughout new construction sites.

The new concrete drilling robot from DeWalt. Image used courtesy of DeWalt

Concrete Drilling for Construction

In construction, digital architectural plans specify the exact placement of fixtures within a new building. When the concrete slab is laid for a foundation, it must be perforated with anchors for inner walls, heavy shelving units, and towers for cable and network raceways. For industrial applications, this also includes robot cells, conveyors, heavy control cabinets, and much more.

The traditional process is to measure the slab manually, mark each anchor location with paint, and proceed with the drilling operation. Using this process, the measuring and drilling are two distinct steps, since people cannot accurately judge distances with fractional-inch precision, especially over long distances, just by walking the floor.

But robots can do that.

Fleet Robotic Platforms

DeWalt has created the new drilling rig on an autonomous mobile robotic (AMR) platform built by August Robotics. These platforms are guided by a fleet management system that catalogs the location of each drill point, directing multiple robots around the floor to map and drill the points most efficiently. The system can accommodate a single robot, but multiple robots will greatly increase the job's speed.

Mobile robot platforms rely heavily on efficient battery use, especially when industrial tools also consume battery power. Fleet software manages deployment, charging, and battery replacement schedules so that each robot is used most effectively.

The new concrete drilling robot in action. Video used courtesy of August Robotics

Previously, August Robotics launched a platform that automates the paint markup process. While it does not provide any of the actual construction tooling, the robot can lay out fixture locations and print text on any surface using an industry-standard DXF or DWG file.

Concrete Drilling Robot Specs

The concrete drilling robot is designed to adapt to nearly any size building footprint, with drilling attachments ranging from ½ to 1-½ inches in diameter. Drilling depth can be up to 14 inches, with vertical alignment rated at 1 degree. The location is precise to within ⅛ inch of the exact location provided in the CAD data. The platform also features dust collection.

Navigation setup and training are also highly automated, relying on inputs from various CAD systems or a direct CSV file containing hole location data. Initial calibration is performed on a teach tablet, and then the fleet management software handles the rest of the navigation.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

As the demand for construction continues to increase, especially for data centers, new tools must be developed to accommodate tighter work schedules. Relying on automation and robotics will remain important.

The new platform from DeWalt delivers a faster, more efficient way to lay out concrete work, and we’re excited to see it.

Possibly the best part about this entire announcement is the revelation of the name of this robotic platform: “Boris.” Well done, DeWalt and August Robotic.