In The News

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania –Danielle Proctor, CEO of Advanced Construction Robotics, has been  appointed to the Regional Industrial Development Corporation (RIDC) Board of Directors. Proctor brings 25 years of construction, software, technology, new product development and leadership experience to the boardroom as RIDC continues to play a leadership role in the region’s economic development and in developing properties that provide homes for companies that are driving Pittsburgh’s innovation economy.

A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Proctor began her career at Management Science Associates, involved with the product and business development of an automated business intelligence systems. She then joined FreeMarkets, later acquired by Ariba, as part of the product management team that designed and launched the software interface for their auction-based supply-chain management service.  She founded Amelie Construction & Supply, a certified Woman/Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (W/DBE) construction firm providing construction services throughout the eastern region where she served as President & CEO for 12 years until selling her ownership in 2015. Proctor continued to pursue her passion of being involved with start-ups by founding and acquiring several smaller ventures as well as providing private funding and consulting to companies during their critical formation stages. Proctor joined the Advanced Construction Robotics team in 2020 as Director of Business Development. In May of 2021, she was named Chief Executive Officer. Danielle now directs business strategy and operations, making ACR’s robots a commercial reality in the field.

RIDC President Don Smith, Jr. called Proctor “a dynamic leader whose company is demonstrating how autonomous technology is having a transformative effect on a wide array of industries, making job sites safer and more efficient. Her perspective on the deployment of new technologies in construction and on the needs of growing tech companies generally will be extremely valuable as RIDC moves forward.”

RIDC catalyzes and supports economic growth through leadership on policy initiatives, high quality job creation, real estate development and financing of projects that advance the public interest – developing real estate to capture emerging and existing growth opportunities across diverse industry sectors. As tech continues to grow in the region, RIDC will remain at the forefront of the effort, developing key properties for the industry to grow in and continuing its advocacy for public policy that facilitates that growth.

“I am excited to join the board of RIDC at such an exciting and pivotal time for Pittsburgh’s tech environment. The landscape of Pittsburgh is changing rapidly and the team and RIDC is leading the way. I cannot wait to see the innovative and impactful solutions that the future will bring.” – Danielle Proctor, CEO, Advanced Construction Robotics

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ABOUT ADVANCED CONSTRUCTION ROBOTICS

A leading provider of robotic equipment, ACR is transforming the construction industry by filling the skilled labor gap and increasing overall productivity. Our robots give construction firms the ability to consistently meet growing demand, reduce scheduling risks and improve safety.  TyBOT®, ACR’s first product, is a rebar tying robot that self-navigates, self-ties, and does not require programming or BIM plan input from the working crew. TyBOT’s partner, IronBOT, will lift, carry, and install rebar when it comes to market in 2022.  

PRESS CONTACT:

Name: Bryce Nelson

Phone: 412-756-3360 x50478

Email: bnelson@constructionrobots.com

Stephen Muck our Co-Founder and Executive Chairman was recently featured on Liberty Mutual Insurance Construction Risk Round Table. Join us as we talk about how contractors are getting more done with less and saving money by using TyBOT® by Advanced Construction Robotics. Listen in to Episode 3 of the podcast below:

https://business.libertymutual.com/insights/construction-risk-roundtable/?extcmp=SUR_CN_tl_US_LINK

Hello everyone I am Danielle Proctor, CEO of Advanced Construction Robotics here to close out safety week by renewing our commitment as a company to improve safety on jobsites through technology. As we reflect on the past week and all of the amazing safety initiatives across the construction industry we are inspired to continue to innovate for the sake of worker health. We believe that human laborers on the job site are a contractor's most valuable asset, and as such, every measure should be taken to protect them. There is no greater method of improving safety than to remove workers from dangerous situations entirely. We at ACR encourage all contractors to take a look at the automation of dangerous and injury-prone tasks in order to keep their crews safer.

Of course, automation is not the only modern method of safety improvement. New technologies are emerging every day for improving safety on the jobsite, whether it be through wearables, software, or more. The robotics renaissance we are currently experiencing will lead to leaps forward in safety. We encourage anyone in construction and beyond to open their minds to modern safety solutions. We want to say thank you to all of the safety professionals out there today working to keep crews safe and healthy. Your work is invaluable not just during safety week, but every week. Stay safe out there everyone, and remember to keep innovating infrastructure.

Advanced Construction Robotics is a leading innovator of autonomous robotic construction equipment. The organization is built on four pillars, improving safety, enhancing productivity, increasing consistency, and reducing schedule risks. Every day the ACR team strives to bring these benefits to real contractors on real job sites. Learn more about ACRs pillars here.

Co-founders Jeremy Searock and Stephen Muck penned a letter to President Biden upon his visit to Pittsburgh to promote the Build Back Better Bill. Their message was clear. Construction has a labor shortage problem and robotic solutions can fill the gap to rebuild America’s infrastructure in a timely fashion.

Mr. President, Pittsburgh is the most important stop on your road trip to discuss the infrastructure bill.

That’s because without the work being done in Pittsburgh, the Build Back Better bill is still a dream. Construction simply does not have enough workers.

Our country is in the midst of a nationwide labor shortage. This is something the construction industry knows all too well. For several decades, the industry has faced a skilled labor shortage, one that is now approaching a crisis level. Some experts believe the U.S. needs more than 1 million construction workers just to handle work under development.

Now that the country plans to address its crumbling infrastructure, we need more than votes and workers — We need a “constructional revolution.” A revolution only made possible through the teaming of robotics and AI with skilled construction labor.

Luckily, that’s what’s happening here in Pittsburgh. We are proud to lead Advanced Construction Robotics, one of the many robotics companies in our region. This industry is pioneering solutions that will allow us to not only rebuild our infrastructure but also build a new economic sector.

Robotic solutions are not here to replace workers. They are here to fill the labor gap and provide safety, consistency, increased productivity, and build quicker. The trade unions agree. The younger generations love the idea of supervising a robot on the job site.

Robotics and AI can solve real world challenges like our labor shortage and infrastructure.

Mr. President, let’s get to work.

Mr. Searock and Mr. Muck's letter was included in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette Here.

In May, TyBOT set its 2022 tie record on the Gateway Expressway project alongside Advanced Construction Robotics Integration Partner Shelby Erectors. Tying 11,044 ties in a single shift, TyBOT averaged over 1,000 ties per hour on the day. The record takes the 9th position on our All-Time shift record list, with the #1 shift in company history clocking in at 16,000 ties (shift lengths vary).

Shelby Erectors CEO Jack Nix had this to say about the shift:

"A shift like this makes a real difference. When TyBOT is moving this quickly our crews are able to focus our full efforts on more complicated work. TyBot handling over 11,000 ties in a shift provides much-needed relief to us as our crews are pressured by labor shortages and schedules."
- Jack Nix, Chief Operations Officer, Shelby Erectors

Construction is in the midst of a labor shortage. Construction crews are being stretched thin and are struggling to meet schedules. The pressure has sent the industry in search of a safe solution to augment construction crews. Advanced Construction Robotics has brought TyBOT to construction to automate repetitive and injury-prone tasks. With TyBOT on the job, contractors are experiencing enhanced productivity, improved safety, reduced schedule risk, and increased consistency. TyBOT delivers these advantages using a Robot as a Service (RaaS) model. Contractors can achieve new heights in productivity with pricing that is wrapped up in an easy-to-understand per-tie price.

TyBOT has come a long way since it first hit the job site in 2017.  To date, TyBOT has completed over 2.5 million ties and has worked on 33+ job sites across the country. Years of field testing and refinement have created a powerful tool for augmenting the existing construction workforce.

“Shifts like this don’t happen overnight. Like a rodbuster honing their skills over time, this achievement is the result of years of real work on real jobsites. Our team of world class innovators is developing the future of construction equipment, and creating modern jobsites where teams of workers and robots work together to get the job done.”
-Jeremy Searock, Co-Founder, CTO & President, Advanced Construction Robotics

The Advanced Construction Robotics team is excited to continue to bring new and innovative products to the construction industry with our second product, IronBOT. IronBOT is a rebar carrying and placing robot that relieves the burden of the heavy lifting by self-placing up to 5,000-pound bundles of both transverse and longitudinal rebar.  Used together, the powerful solution of IronBOT and TyBOT will be able to increase productivity by at least 250%. IronBOT is in the final stages of development and will be deployed in 2022. The dynamic duo of TyBOT and IronBOT enables work to be conducted at a consistent and predictable rate that significantly exceeds industry averages.

If you think your job could be the location of our next tie record fill out an inquiry form on our contact page.

Read Engineering News Record's report here

A leading provider of robotic equipment, ACR is transforming the construction industry by filling the skilled labor gap and increasing overall productivity. Our robots give construction firms the ability to consistently meet growing demand, reduce scheduling risks and improve safety.  TyBOT®, ACR’s first product, is a rebar tying robot that self-navigates, self-ties, and does not require programming or BIM plan input from the working crew. TyBOT’s partner, IronBOT, will lift, carry, and place rebar when it comes to market in 2022. If you would like more information, please contact us at info@constructionrobots.com

Spartan Reinforcing Debuts Autonomous Robot for First Time in Texas

TyBOT®, the Autonomous Rebar Tying Robot, Completes First Texas Job on the SH302 Highway Project.

Winkler County, Texas – On its first deployment in the Lone Star State, TyBOT® by Advanced Construction Robotics (ACR) recently completed bulk rebar tying operations on the SH302 highway project in Winkler County, Texas. Winner of numerous innovation awards, TyBOT is an autonomous rebar tying robot that utilizes artificial intelligence to see, think, and act to self-adapt to unique jobsite designs. It represents the latest class of construction equipment that works alongside existing crews to ensure project timelines are safely met. Completing 101,564 ties across 69,200 square feet of bridge deck, TyBOT was essential in assisting Spartan Reinforcing, a Texas-based Disadvantaged Business Enterprise specializing in turnkey solutions for reinforced concrete, as well as Kiewit, the nation’s 4th largest general contractor.

Travelers watching the progress of the SH302 highway project in Winkler County Texas will be happy to see that the contractors on the job are deploying the latest technology to get the job done faster. Robots on the jobsite optimize the work of the crew members by allowing them to avoid boring repetitive tasks and focus on more complex work better suited for traditional labor. Augmenting the workforce in this way not only accelerates schedules but also helps to keep the crew safe from injury-prone tasks. With this project, Winkler County became one of the first regions to deploy modern solutions in construction which traditionally has avoided high tech.

“TyBOT augmented our crews and helped make our team more efficient. We were excited by the advantages robotic construction equipment offered us and it opened our minds to the great potential in adopting new technologies.” – Craig Wallace -CEO, Spartan Reinforcing

“I was apprehensive about using TyBOT at first, but as the project progressed I discovered it made my crew work smarter not harder.” – Samuel Lopez-Spartan General Foreman

“ACR was founded to rapidly bring robots to jobsites to help crews like Spartan and Kiewit. Our robots will continue to solve today’s construction challenges assisting the workforce to meet rapidly growing demand” – Jeremy Searock, Co-Founder, Advanced Construction Robotics

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ABOUT ADVANCED CONSTRUCTION ROBOTICS

A leading provider of robotic equipment, ACR is transforming the construction industry by filling the skilled labor gap and increasing overall productivity. Our robots give construction firms the ability to consistently meet growing demand, reduce scheduling risks and improve safety. TyBOT®, ACR’s first product, is a rebar tying robot that self-navigates, self-ties, and does not require programming or BIM plan input from the working crew. TyBOT’s partner, IronBOT, will lift, carry, and install rebar when it comes to market in 2022.

PRESS CONTACT:

Name: Bryce Nelson

Phone: 412-756-3360 x50478

Email: bnelson@constructionrobots.com

Pittsburgh PA: In response to feedback from the field, Advanced Construction Robotics (ACR) announces a new deployment method for TyBOT, called edge form bogies, a significant enhancement that simplifies and speeds up on-site deployment. This unique design eliminates the need for screed rail, a prerequisite previously required for TyBOT deployment. With TyBOT freed from the screed rail, the solution becomes available to more contractors who previously could not benefit from the tech. "At Advanced Construction Robotics, we believe that true innovation in infrastructure comes from listening to those working with our solutions in the field. Their feedback is invaluable, influencing our product roadmaps and driving us to develop problem-solving solutions that revolutionize construction. Together, we are shaping the future of infrastructure," said ACR Founder and Executive Chairman, Stephen Muck.

TyBOT has traditionally relied on installed screed rail or a porta-rail system that simulates screed rail for successful deployment. This requirement could sometimes be a limiting factor in locations where the screed rail was not readily available. The new bogies ride directly on the timber framing, called edge forms, that is erected on job sites to support concrete pouring. TyBOT's edge form bogies are adjustable, compatible with 2x4" to 2x8" edge form caps, and can handle any existing obstructions such as double-headed nails.

With edge forms always available and in place, TyBOT can work on a wider range of projects, providing contractors with the flexibility and efficiency they need. This new deployment method eliminates the need for pre-installation of screed rail, allowing contractors to maximize their resources and accelerate project timelines.  

"By redesigning how TyBOT deploys on construction sites, we've created an opportunity for contractors to conduct deck operations more rapidly and efficiently than ever before," said ACR President and CEO, Danielle Proctor. "We are excited to release edge form bogies because it provides our clients a more flexible and accessible solution, increasing TyBOT's viability for a wider range of projects."

TyBOT’s Edge Form Bogies are available today. Learn more at www.constructionrobots.com/tybot.

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About Advanced Construction Robotics, Inc.:

A leading provider of robotic equipment, ACR is transforming the construction industry by filling the skilled labor gap and increasing overall productivity. Our robots give construction firms the ability to consistently meet growing demand, reduce scheduling risks and improve safety.  TyBOT®, ACR’s first product, is a rebar tying robot that self-navigates, self-ties, and does not require programming or BIM plan input from the working crew. TyBOT’s partner, IronBOT®, lifts, carries, and places rebar. Together, TyBOT and IronBOT are cutting rebar installation schedules in half. If you would like more information, please contact us at info@constructionrobots.com.

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After the exciting release of IronBOT, Bridge Design & Engineering (BDE) featured both IronBOT and TyBOT in their magazine, 'The Smarter Twin.' ACR's Founder and Executive Chairman, Stephen Muck, talked to BDE about the BOTs and ACR's journey from the beginning.

“TyBOT is productive but not, by itself, disruptive. We believe combining TyBOT with IronBOT does generate a disruptive technology, meaning that the cost and time savings are so significant that it will disrupt the way the industry installs reinforcing steel,” says Stephen Muck.

Read the full article in Bridge Design & Engineering’s ‘The Smarter Twin’ (pg. 16-18):

https://edition.pagesuite.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=8087d5c1-3992-4f29-8457-f4aad496c2f2&utm_content=250104633&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin

Rebar-tying robots have come to Wisconsin. Waukesha-based MKE Iron Erectors recently used one on a bridge project, a first in the state.

TyBOT performed 17,823 ties in two shifts across a 7,775-sq-ft area on the IH-39 Structure B-11-166 bridge in Columbia County, north of Madison. That’s more than 1,100 ties per hour.

Read the full ENR Article at https://www.enr.com/articles/56551-robot-performs-1-100-rebar-ties-per-hour-on-wisconsin-bridge-job  

TyBOT’s cameras map out the rebar grid work area ahead and identify the intersections that need to be tied. The Tram independently positions the Tie Module over the next intersection, allowing the module to complete its assigned tie while TyBOT keeps track of the intersections it has completed. This cycle of mapping, positioning, tying and tracking efficiently continues until the entire work area has been completed and TyBOT notifies its Robot Supervisor before moving forward to continue operations.

TyBOT does all of this without Pre-Mapping, Pre-Programming or BIM Input.

It is just that simple! While TyBOT handles the backbreaking, repetitive task of bulk-tying your project’s rebar grid, your crew is free to move on to the project’s next critical path item.

Would you like to see TyBOT at your office or Jobsite? Schedule your Demo HERE.

2022 TyBOT Roadshow Schedule:

• Jan/Feb 2022: Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina & South Carolina
• Spring 2022:   Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia & Maryland
• Summer 2022:  Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota & Iowa

If you are not located in one of the states that our team is currently scheduled to visit, we can arrange a fully interactive Virtual Demonstration from our Indoor Bridge Deck in Pittsburgh, PA and broadcast conveniently to you wherever you may be located.

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