Skanska has been given funding worth over £700,000 to develop the use of robots for on-site and off-site construction.

The funding was granted by the UK's innovation agency, Innovate UK, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), as part of its collaborative R&D programme.

Skanska is leading a research consortium to create robotic construction units that can be deployed on site, or in 'flying factories', to carry out cutting, drilling and fixing.

'Flying factories' is a system of near-site manufacture, which allows structures to be built in controlled conditions, removing the potential effects of bad weather and other on-site hazards, speeding up the assembly of the building on site.

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Skanska's Head of Innovation, Sam Stacey, said: "We are delighted to have been awarded this grant. Robotics in construction is an unknown field and provides great opportunities.

"A robot to drill and fix to the underside of slabs, for example, would eliminate a lot of work at height in dusty, noisy environments."

Skanska stated: "The project, Flexible Robotic Assembly Modules for the Built Environment (FRAMBE), will scope out the opportunities for automation and develop robotic applications, building on a suite of Skanska initiatives that are transforming productivity in construction."

The company's partners in the project are:

• ABB Robotics.

• The Building Research Establishment.

• Tekla UK (software).

• Lean consultants Exelin.

• University of Reading.

Mr Stacey added: "This approach, of collaboration with experts from a range of industries, is bringing to construction the levels of quality and cost reduction experienced sectors such as automotive."

(LM/MH)