Industrial robotic automation is becoming the standard for manufacturing sophistication and efficiency in many industries. PowerMILL Robot combines the CAM control that users have come to know and love from Delcam with intuitive robotic-arm configuration and motion control. This course will begin by using PowerMILL machine tool configurations to define a basic 6-axis robotic arm from an articulated CAD model. We will then move into part setup for both a static situation and a dynamic situation using an external workpiece positioner for our seventh axis. We will create machining approaches on the fly by moving the robot joints separately or in tandem and then creating workplaces from our tool center point. Finally, we will use PowerMILL finishing toolpaths with the robotic arm and learn how to manage and monitor robotic joint motion using PowerMILL Robot simulation tools.

Automation and robotics have helped manufacturing, retail, and agriculture industries increase productivity by 1,500% since 1945 (McKinsey 2017). In contrast, however, construction productivity has remained relatively stagnant during the same time period. For the robotics industry, construction presents potential use cases and unique applications that can utilize a variety of evolving technologies, from drones, ground robotics, teleoperation, machine vision, additive manufacturing, and assistive robotics. Automation has been implemented in other industries to solve challenges associated with labor productivity, material waste, quality control, and so on—but why not construction? This panel will bring together representatives from the architecture, engineering, and construction industry with technology and thought leaders from the robotics community to develop a collective understanding of the problems and opportunities, and discuss how to take the next steps.

It is well known that construction is wasteful and inefficient. It is the world’s largest consumer of raw materials, using around 50% of global steel production. It is one of the largest sectors in the world economy, with around $10 trillion being spent on construction-related goods and services annually. However, the industry’s productivity has flat-lined over the past 50 years whilst other manufacturing industries have almost doubled. This is not surprising given that there has been little to no development in on-site construction tools. It is, though, unfair to say there has been no technological advancement: within the design and planning stages, the software has taken great strides, with BIM, in particular, playing an important role. This brings us to the root of the problem, which is that whilst we are designing digitally, we are still constructing manually. At Scaled Robotics we believe this disconnect between the digital model and the physical world is what leads to many of the inefficiencies that plague the industry. A basic example of that disconnection is that currently, site managers have no quick and accurate tool to compare the built structure to the digital model. They rely either on manual spot checks–which are slow, labour-intensive, and not fully representative–or expensive laser scanners, which though more accurate are extremely slow. They also only produce raw data and not actionable information for site management. At Scaled Robotics we believe that the development of new construction tools such as robotics will be at the forefront of solving these industry problems. Through this workshop, we will explore a holistic road map for moving from no robots in construction to fully automated construction sites with totally new manufacturing processes, focusing on both technological milestones and industry requirements to make this a reality. Referencing current state of the art research, solutions being deployed today by Scaled Robotics on construction sites around Europe and how that connects to Forge and the larger AEC software ecosystem. The workshop will be given from the perspective of Stuart Maggs, CEO and Co-Founder of Scaled Robotics, a construction robotics startup developing and deploying robots on real construction sites today. Lifting the lid on the technological and industry challenges by recounting the nitty-gritty trials and tribulations faced trying to build these new tools.

Robotics is an exciting interdisciplinary field with applications in every industry, assisting humans with everything from home mobility to manufacturing to space exploration. This workshop will dig into the underlying mechanical design and manufacturing practices that drive development of robotic systems. This class will demonstrate CAD workflows for robotic systems in Fusion 360 software, including tips and best practices on part and assembly levels. We’ll discuss how CAD modeling and design for manufacturing go hand in hand, including a survey of design requirements and materials in manufacturing processes that are typically used in mechanical systems. Finally, you’ll learn about using documentation to effectively communicate manufacturing and archiving robotic assembly data.

Industrial robots, when compared to computer numerical control (CNC) machines, are among the most universal devices, suitable for an extremely wide range of fabrication and construction processes. Commonly used in automotive production and other high-volume production settings, robots are now increasingly implemented in the production of architectural components, low-volume production environments, and academic settings. As the cost of hardware has dropped, a major obstacle has been the overly complicated programming environment. To overcome this a number of automated design-to-robotic fabrication tools have been developed, including the new integrated Dynamo workflow. This course will begin with a brief introduction to both the industrial robotic manipulator and the Dynamo interface leading to the development and simulation of robotic movements, ultimately linking Dynamo motion control to the physical 6-axis robotic manipulator.

Industrial robots are suitable for an extremely wide range of fabrication and construction processes. Commonly used in automotive production and other high-volume production, robots are now implemented in the production of architectural components, low-volume production, and academia. The potential of the Industrial Robotic manipulator makes for an appealing tool for shops, design firms, and fabricators who want numerical control capability but do not have the means to invest in many specialized computer numerical control (CNC) tools. As the cost of hardware drops, designers have more access to these tools; but perceived hurdles limit the diffusion of manipulators in many settings. This course provides a pragmatic intro to the Industrial Robot as a tool that supports many numerically controlled activities. The course will provide details of the procurement, requisite tooling, safety, installation, and calibration. We will also conduct a hands-on demonstration of the commissioning and basic operation of an industrial robot arm. This session features PowerMill. AIA Approved

Robots provide a unique platform for machining large volumes as well as for a vast range of other applications, including trimming, gluing, polishing, and the laying down of a huge variety of different materials. This workshop will introduce you to the basic concepts involved in creating the path as well as controlling the robot axis to drive your manufacturing processes.

We typically see robotic arms being used in welding or pick-and-place applications on production lines. This class will cover some lesser-known uses that are becoming more relevant in manufacturing, with a focus on subtractive machining. Though not as commonly used as traditional computer numerical control (CNC) machines, they offer versatility by enabling attachment of various end effectors, such as CNC tool spindles, additive extruders, and even grinders or polishers. They can therefore be used as subtractive, additive, and postprocessing machines. The PowerMill Robot plug-in takes advantage of PowerMill software’s innovative 3- and 5-axis toolpaths and the toolpath editing features to apply them to a wide range of supported robots. We will primarily cover subtractive manufacturing in both industrial and artistic settings. Attendees will learn the workflow, from setting up a robot cell, calculating toolpaths, and optimizing robot motion for efficiency and safety.

It's time to learn about Robot Structural Analysis software in this hands-on, down-and-dirty take on a powerful analysis tool that boasts one of the highest levels of direct integration with Revit software currently available. If you are curious about Robot Structural Analysis software and you want to know more, this is the class for you. As engineers with extensive responsibility, changing analysis packages is not something we would ever undertake lightly—and not without doing our own investigations into the capabilities of the new software. This class will give you an introduction to Robot Structural Analysis software and get you ready to set up your own exploration and investigation of this great analysis package. We will cover basic interface, navigation, setup, display, simple modeling, basic loading, seismic, results exploration, and basic material design workflow. We will also include key tips and tricks for getting up to speed quickly with Robot.

Industrial robots have come a long way from the simple pick-and-place operations on production lines and they are now being introduced into an increasing number of applications. Their versatility, large working volume, robustness, and high repeatability, along with their low relative cost makes them well suited to the repetitive and destructive environments of production facilities.Industrial robot technology has evolved significantly with new methodologies as well as new capabilities. Robots were traditionally programmed by teaching the robot every point required for a process. With modern software programming tools, the path generation can be completed offline, away from the shop floor. Full virtual simulation allows any issues to be picked up before the process is run on the real cell. This has resulted in significantly reduced programming times and therefore an increase in the complexity of the tasks that can be achieved while removing the programming task from the critical path of a new robot install. However, the software resources available only solve half the issue. Industrial robot hardware has inherent errors that limit the applications they can complete. These include inaccurate methods for identifying coordinate systems and work offsets, error stacking from the robot joints, response to applied forces and axis reversals. This talk aims to look at the software and hardware solutions that can reduce or completely remove these sources of error for applications such as milling, polishing, and non-contact metrology.

This lab will use straightforward practical examples to teach best practices to new users of Robot Structural Analysis software. The lab is intended for those who have an understanding of structural analysis but are new to Robot Structural Analysis. It will introduce the basic functionality of Robot Structural Analysis, key features, and best office practices for teams working in Robot Structural Analysis. Topics will include, but are not limited to, concrete design, steel design, and composite deck design. Additional topics will address loadings and key strategies for collaboration between Robot Structural Analysis and other Autodesk applications, such as Revit software and Advance Steel software.

Join us for this roundtable session that features interaction with Robot API experts. Get answers to your questions and discuss all relevant topics of your choice. If you are writing or willing to write add-ins for Robot software, then this is the perfect forum to get to know the subject and the people who use the Robot API.

This class will be a deep dive into the future of building: automation, communication, and whether "robots" will change everything. Come for an informed, useful, and realistic overview of how architects, engineers, and builders use automation today, and how they may use it tomorrow. Learn better ways to think about automation, how to apply it within your work, and how you both can use and will be likely disrupted by it in the near future. See many real-world examples of automation in use today-both on the design side via Building Information Modeling (BIM) and on the physical side via robotics. Gain a better understanding of how to empower yourself through automation, and how to avoid wasting lots of time on dead ends-or worse, getting replaced altogether.

Fusion 360 software now offers a simple workflow for programming industrial robot arms. Anyone familiar with post-processing machine code from Fusion 360 can now create robot code in the same way. During this lab, users will use the manufacturing space from Fusion 360 to generate robot native code that can drive industrial robot arms. First, we will show a generic robot workflow within Fusion 360 that will post with the ABB post processor. Then, we will cover exporting code into a virtual robot simulator, ABB RobotStudio, for validation. We’ll then pivot to recordings at Autodesk Technology Centers, explaining calibration of various coordinate systems localizing the robot arm and robot operation for milling applications. We’ll introduce other applications that participants can use with this workflow, such as welding and additive. Finally, we will share various case studies from Autodesk Technology Center residents and customers utilizing Fusion 360 for industrial robots.

Custom-tailored software has never been easier to achieve in Robot Structural Analysis software. If you’re writing, or willing to write, add-ins for Robot Structural Analysis to expand its capabilities, this is the perfect place to get to know the subject and meet the people who use the Robot Structural Analysis API.

Join us for an engaging panel discussion with real-world applications at the intersection of robotics and extended reality (XR) in the AEC industry. Learn how companies like DPR Construction harness these technologies to safeguard the well-being of their craft teams, deliver quality work, and exceed customer expectations. We'll discuss how robots are transforming construction work with precise installation lines, and explore how XR is revolutionizing the way owners experience their projects and data, gaining their buy-in before work begins. Get valuable insights from industry experts as they share the work they're doing today, while shedding light on the future of these transformative technologies. Speakers will be Rayya Karaa, Senior virtual design and construction (VDC) PM at DPR; Tim Gaylord, Corporate Director of Innovation at DPR; Roy Malcom, Senior virtual design and construction (VDC) PM at DPR, Nicolas Fonta, senior director and general manager of XR at Autodesk and Alex Bingham Associate Architect at Cushing Terrell.

This class will review the American Institute of Steel Construction's (AISC) Direct Analysis Method, and we'll look at how it is implemented in Robot Structural Analysis Professional 2015 software. We will cover the requirements of the Direct Analysis Method, and we'll examine the challenges of applying it in analysis and design software. We'll explore analysis examples from actual projects to conduct an in-depth examination of the Direct Analysis Method workflow in Robot Structural Analysis Professional software. Through these examples, we'll review the analysis parameters, the ways to perform the analysis, and the options available to review and validate the analysis results. This class will illustrate the benefits of the Direct Analysis Method and demonstrate the ways that the implementation of Robot Structural Analysis Professional software is efficient, customizable, and user-friendly. We will also discuss how the software considers the code-required stability effects.

In this roundtable, we cover troubleshooting tips and techniques for issues that users may encounter while using Robot™ Structural Analysis software. We look at the most frequent types of issues posted on the Robot forum, and attendees learn how to troubleshoot and resolve them or how to avoid them.