Simulation-driven design of wood framing support systems for off-site construction machinery

Off-site construction aims to shift construction work to a factory environment, thereby enabling automation of the wood framing process. Current automated or semiautomated solutions for wood framing are assisted by a series of support and buffer tables that occupy a large footprint within industrialized construction plants. As the wood panels become longer to minimize transportation costs, so do their necessary support systems. To provide a more cost-effective solution for wood framing support systems, this paper proposes a simulation-driven redesign. The simulation model was built on existing data from current machinery, enabling users to modify design parameters and machine logic without incurring costs associated with prototyping. The simulation results were then analyzed from performance and cost perspectives to decide on the final design parameters. The redesign of the wood framing support systems was found to be almost 40% less costly and more than 10% more productive than currently available systems, showcasing the importance of simulation within the field of construction automation.