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How Modscape + Modbotics’ manufacturing model shapes material selection.
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Based at Essendon Fields in Victoria, with a growing presence in Queensland, Modscape + Modbotics designs, manufactures and delivers prefabricated modular buildings across residential, commercial and social infrastructure sectors. Its delivery model relies on controlled factory environments, automated production lines, and tight tolerances that extend from fabrication through to installation on site. (main image: Materials, robotics and manufacturing processes converge on the Modscape + Modbotics production floor, where STRUCTApanel® has become part of the company’s standard wall manufacturing system.)
Within that context, material selection is less about substitution and more about system alignment. Products must integrate with robotic processes, maintain consistency across high volumes, and perform structurally during lifting and transport.
STRUCTApanel, supplied by Porta, has been adopted within that framework, not as a standalone product, but as part of a broader manufacturing logic.
STRUCTApanel is a high-density structural particleboard used as a continuous internal layer within wall systems. It provides bracing and a solid fixing surface across the entire wall, removing the need for noggings while supporting consistent, repeatable factory production. It is typically supplied in 9mm for wall linings and 12mm where additional stiffness or load capacity is required. On average, the product contains a minimum of 40 per cent recycled timber, with the balance manufactured from certified plantation pine fibre.
As Kumar Singh, Head of Design at Modscape + Modbotics, explains:
“It forms part of what we call the base recipe for wall construction. Every wall produced on the line includes it.”
From substrate requirement to system integration
The decision to adopt STRUCTApanel emerged from a shift in how Modscape + Modbotics builds its walls.
“As we moved to robotic manufacturing for walls, floors and ceilings, we no longer installed traditional noggings,” says Singh. “That created a requirement for a continuous substrate that could provide both bracing and support for wall linings.”
Initially, OSB was used, reflecting broader industry practice.
“We started with OSB, which most providers use in this function,” Singh says. “There were some pain points, which led to research into alternatives.”
STRUCTApanel, manufactured in Australia, offered a flat, knot-free surface with high screw-holding capacity and bracing certification under Australian Standards.
“It proved to meet our requirements in terms of bracing performance, weight, and suitability for automated installation,” Singh says.
However, performance alone was not the deciding factor.
Supplier alignment and product refinement
A key reason STRUCTApanel has remained embedded within Modscape + Modbotics’ system is the supplier’s willingness to adapt the product to suit manufacturing requirements.
“STRUCTApanel ticks a lot of our boxes,” Singh says. “And where it didn’t, they were willing to assist and work with us.”
That collaboration extended beyond specification.
“We worked with them on tolerances, how the sheets are packed, moisture content, and density,” says Harrison West, Product Engineer at Modbotics. “Over time, we’ve refined all of that so it works for our process.”
Packaging and flatness were early issues for automation.
“Initially, the boards weren’t flat enough for the robot. We worked with them to change how they were strapped and stored. Now they come in flat and consistent.”
Supply format has also been tailored.
“We asked for half sheets as well as full sheets,” West says. “That allows the robot to optimise material use without manual cutting. It’s a significant labour and waste saving.”
For Modscape + Modbotics, this level of engagement is not optional.
“We do that with quite a lot of our suppliers,” Singh explains. “They’re not just providing a product for a project — they’re coming on the journey with us.”
Porta says STRUCTApanel is manufactured from certified plantation pine fibre and recycled timber recovered through Borg’s reDirect Recycling business, supporting a circular manufacturing model by diverting timber waste from landfill.
Bracing performance through transport and lifting
In modular construction, structural performance extends beyond the finished building. Modules are lifted, transported and installed under dynamic conditions, placing different demands on wall systems.
Khan Trinh, Structural Design Manager, explains the role of STRUCTApanel at a system level:
“Utilising a high-density board such as STRUCTApanel supports the bracing strategy by providing a continuous, rigid shear diaphragm.”
This differs from traditional approaches.
“Unlike steel strap or cross-bracing — which can stretch or deform under cyclic dynamic loads during transport — a rigid panel distributes stiffness across the entire wall plane.”
That behaviour helps maintain geometry during handling.
“This helps prevent the module from racking out of square and reduces the risk of secondary damage, including cracking in internal plasterboard linings or jamming of pre-installed glazing units.”
At lifting points, the effect is more localised.
“It assists in dissipating localised stress concentrations across the wider wall length, which reduces overall module deflection during lifting,” Trinh adds.
Manufacturing efficiency and repeatability on the line
Within Modscape + Modbotics’ automated environment, material consistency directly affects output.
STRUCTApanel’s uniform composition supports that requirement.
“Engineered particleboard products are highly compressed and uniform,” says Trinh. “This allows fasteners to be installed closer to panel edges with reduced risk of tear-out.”
That consistency is critical for automation.
“A uniform, knot-free board ensures automated fastening tools engage consistently with solid material, achieving repeatable embedment depths.”
West links this directly to the production line.
“The product is very uniform. That’s important for the robotic line, particularly when lifting with suction systems.”
Material supply has also been adapted to suit the process.
“We use roughly 10% half sheets, mainly at wall ends, so we’re not cutting down full sheets and creating waste,” West says.
STRUCTApanel is now embedded within the sequence of production itself.
“It forms part of the base system — the panels coming off the line,” Singh says.
Removing noggings and expanding functional capacity
One of the direct outcomes of adopting a continuous panel substrate is the removal of noggings.
By replacing discrete fixing points with a continuous surface, the wall system becomes more flexible.
“You no longer need to locate studs to fix items,” Singh explains. “The support is available across the entire wall surface.”
This has practical implications beyond manufacturing.
“In government housing projects, it means you don’t need to install additional backing for grab rails or fixtures — it’s already there.”
Managing moisture and climate variation
Despite its advantages, STRUCTApanel introduces considerations around moisture and environmental variation.
Modscape + Modbotics manufactures in Victoria and delivers to a range of climates, including Queensland.
“We’re building in Victoria and sending modules to different climates,” Singh says. “That introduces moisture variation.”
“It’s more an issue with timber generally,” West adds. “The material will equilibrate to the environment.”
Manufacturer guidance requires panels to be kept dry, acclimatised prior to installation, and protected during storage and transport.
“In wet areas, we may use alternative materials depending on the application,” Singh says. “It’s about appropriate use rather than replacing it entirely.”
Compliance, certification and system alignment
STRUCTApanel’s bracing certification plays a direct role in Modscape + Modbotics’ engineering workflow.
“The use of a bracing-certified panel simplifies the compliance pathway under the NCC,” says Trinh.
“We can rely on certified racking capacity tables within our structural models.”
This supports consistency across projects and reduces the complexity of engineering sign-off.
A material aligned to a manufacturing system
STRUCTApanel’s role within Modscape + Modbotics reflects a broader shift in offsite construction. Materials are increasingly evaluated on how effectively they integrate with manufacturing systems, automation and project delivery.
“It’s a simple product, but it performs consistently and integrates well into our manufacturing system,” Singh says.
Equally, its continued use reflects the relationship behind it.
“They’ve been willing to adapt the product to suit how we build,” Singh says. “That’s been a big part of why it works.”
For Modscape + Modbotics, the outcome is not just improved wall performance, but a more predictable production environment — one where materials, machines and suppliers operate as part of the same system.
