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Cognitive Robotics for Digital Twin�Enabled Automation in Structural Panel Fabrication and Installation

Nikola Knezevic, Milos Dimcic, Sasa Jokic, Kosta Jovanovic

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Abstract

This paper presents an integrated system that combines robotics, depth vision, and digital twin technologies to automate and enhance the fabrication of structural wooden panels and their installation on-site by human workers. The methodology for enabling better and faster panel production and on-site installation integrates AI and Robotics into BIM (Building-Informational-Model), allowing the entire build pro- cess to be simulated and optimized in a digital environment before deployment. The robotic system for panel assembly and the computer vision system work hand in hand with the robots, making real-time decisions, detecting issues, and ensuring consistent quality. The interface to a digital twin enables on-site crew guidance for seamless panel integration into new homes. The system is evaluated on more than 50 real- world panels and demonstrates improvements in installation efficiency by reducing the time needed to frame the house by 70%, decreasing the cost by approximately 30%, and im- proving quality traceability, compared to conventional building methods. This work exemplifies cognitive collaboration between robots and humans in modern manufacturing environments.

Index terms

Robotics Integration Platforms Virtual / Augmented / Mixed reality