CABLE-DRIVEN PARALLEL ROBOT S IN THE AUTOMATIONOF CONSTRUCTION PROCESSES

Abstract

The automation of construction processes by means of robotics is constrained by the fact that conventional gantry systems and anthropomorphic manipulators have either a limited workspace or a complex and low-mobility structure. A promising alternative is cable-driven parallel robots (CDPR), in which a moving platform, equipped with a working tool or manipulator, is held and displaced by a system of cables wound by winches. The aim of the article is to review and systematize modern applications of cable-driven parallel robots in construction, with an emphasis on their advantages, automatic control systems, and integration into the digital information environment. The paper considers the design principle and classification of CDPR, analyses the main fields of application ‒ primarily large-scale 3D concrete printing and the installation of heavy facade elements ‒ and characterizes the features of control systems related to cable elasticity and sagging, vibration, and collision avoidance. Particular attention is paid to the mathematical modelling of the cable system, trajectory planning of the end-effector, the use of artificial intelligence and machine-learning methods, and the integration of robots with the Internet of Things and cloud computing. It is established that the key advantage of CDPR is a large workspace combined with a relatively small mass of moving parts, as well as ease of transportation, assembly, and adaptation to environmental conditions. It is concluded that further development is associated with the improvement in control and trajectory-planning algorithms, the combination of technologies, and deeper integration with building information modelling.