Automation in Construction

Automation in construction acts on a high potential for value creation. As the boundary conditions are more complex than in other industries, the current availability and application of robotic systems and digital services is low. The thesis at hand aims at enabling the development of value-creating robotic systems and digital services at the edge between process and machine by introducing a Value-creating Automation Framework. The interaction of operational equipment and operational process, as well as an understanding of digital and robotic functions in a mechatronic system is captured in a metamodel abstracting the system in scope. Furthermore, a systematic literature analysis depicts the state of science in the field of automation frameworks for construction equipment. Additionally, requirements on a possible solution approach are set as evaluation criteria for the framework to be developed. The state of science confirms the need for a framework for the process-oriented development of innovative automation functions creating value in the customer process. Therefore, the directions from the state of science are combined with five lessons learned from five exploratory, cross-industry automation case studies to create the Value-Creating Automation Framework. The framework is applied, verified, and validated in four practical cases. The expert interviews accompanying these practical cases find that the VAF differentiates itself from other development frameworks for automated functions in its process-oriented conception of a solution, functional system understanding, quantification and continuous monitoring of customer value in development, as well as early increment testing in the designated application. All of the contributions were created and evaluated in an applied research approach directly with the industrial user group, suggesting a fast adoption of the results in industry. Consequently realizing the high potential for value creation by offering robotic systems and digital services to the complex construction processes.