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Wall framing machines to ‘revolutionise’ residential construction.
Developed by a research team based at the Universality of Alberta, Canada, construction of their full-scale light gauge steel and timber wall framing prototypes began in 2016. (main pic: University of Alberta’s light gauge steel wall framing prototype.)
Their first functioning machine was completed in 2017.
Although their release into the market hasn’t been established, two semi-automated residential wall framing machines will assemble the framing members into framed wall panels in a matter of minutes, with more precision and less material waste than traditional onsite framing, says Mohamed Al-Hussein, a member of the university’s department of civil and environmental engineering.
“There will be less physical strains and demands on workers compared to traditional framing and it will be faster and more efficient. As well as being more predictable, the machines will reduce the environmental footprint on a per-unit basis due to the reductions in material and process waste,” said Al-Hussien.
Using a variety of software applications, such as finite element analysis, a team of graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, undergraduate interns and university research staff began the design of the machines in 2016.
“They collaborated closely in an open-plan setting, conducted daily meetings, and engaged in a lot of hands-on work in the lab.”
“We are still at the early stages of commercialisation,” said Al-Hussein, explaining a business plan needs to be written, a company created to market and build them, and private investors brought on board.
The objective is to mass produce them.
