ENGINEERING TECH, CONSTRUCTION
Canvas | March 17, 2023
Hilti announces a strategic partnership with Canvas, a construction robotics company that has developed a robotic drywalling solution aiming to empower people to build in bold new ways.
The partnership marks the beginning of a significant new step in robotics innovation after Hilti had launched the Jaibot, the world’s first semi-autonomous ceiling drilling robot in 2020. This collaboration brings together leaders in intelligent jobsite robotics who share a common vision: that robotic tools will unlock vastly untapped potential and drive a new era of productivity and safety for skilled trade workers.
Canvas, headquartered in San Francisco and founded in 2017 by veterans of Boston Dynamics, MIT and Stanford, leverages advances in collaborative robotics and machine learning to build a new class of tools for skilled tradespeople that harness the power of AI and machine learning. To date, Canvas has focused on drywall finishing which, studies have shown, has among the highest prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorder cases, with as many as one in four workers experiencing such effects.
Canvas’ robot can apply both level 5 and level 4 drywall finishes in a fraction of the time, and at a higher level of safety and reliability, compared to similar traditional methods. In contrast to manual application, the robot applies a single consistent layer of joint compound over wet tape and telescopes to 15.5 feet to do the vast majority of the work at height. It reduces repetitive motion injuries and captures 99.9% of the dust produced by sanding.
As part of the partnership, Hilti will assume the manufacturing responsibilities for future Canvas systems based on the proven Jaibot platform, giving Canvas a reliable and scalable global supply to meet the huge demand for its finishing robots.
“At Hilti, our purpose is making construction better. We do this by focusing our resources on innovative hardware, software and services that help to increase contractor productivity, worker health & safety, and sustainability,” said Thomas Hillbrand, Member of Hilti’s Executive Board. “Our shared values bring Hilti and Canvas together—and we’re excited to support Canvas in reimagining better ways of working through the power of robotics and AI.”
“It’s extremely validating that the demand for our drywall finishing robot quickly outstretched our capacity to produce this year,” says Canvas’ CEO, Kevin Albert. “Contractors continue to struggle with rising costs and labor shortages. The demand we see is testament to the critical need for new tools in the industry to address these challenges and empower our skilled workforce. We’re excited to announce this partnership which continues to push the boundary of what is possible and positions Canvas to meet current and future demand for our machines globally.”
The Canvas-Hilti partnership positions the construction robotics company to scale globally in an industry that is ripe for change. The partnership will enable Canvas to help the drywall industry solve its chronic and growing labor problem, while also making the job site cleaner, safer and less strenuous for the people doing the work.
About Canvas
Canvas is a construction robotics company whose mission is to enable people to build in bold new ways. The Canvas system provides a flexible approach to drywall finishing, combining the skills and expertise of trained workers with technology that, together, enable drywall finishing work to be done better, faster, safer, and more consistently. Canvas has been recognized by Forbes and Fortune on their top AI and start-up lists, respectively, and recently won the Pro Tools Innovation Award for Technology/Robotics.
About Hilti Group
The Hilti Group supplies the worldwide construction and energy industries with technologically leading products, systems, software and services. With about 32,000 team members in over 120 countries, the company stands for direct customer relationships, quality and innovation. Hilti generated annual sales of more than CHF 6.3 billion in 2022. The headquarters of the Hilti Group have been located in Schaan, Liechtenstein, since its founding in 1941. The company is privately owned by the Martin Hilti Family Trust, which ensures its long-term continuity. The Hilti Group’s strategic orientation is based on a caring and performance-oriented culture and the goals of creating enthusiastic customers and building a better future.
Read More
ENGINEERING TECH, CONSTRUCTION
WSB | March 14, 2023
On March 13, 2023, Bentley Systems, a prominent provider of software for infrastructure engineering, disclosed a collaborative effort with WSB to boost the use of digital twins in the civil infrastructure industry.
To enable the civil infrastructure sector to adopt digital workflows and leverage the potential of construction digital twins, WSB has launched a novel digital advisory service and construction management solution powered by Bentley's SYNCHRO. The company has also become the inaugural member of the Bentley Digital Integrator Program for construction, available to engineering and project delivery firms that meet the eligibility criteria.
Bentley and WSB's initiative of digital construction management is changing the way infrastructure projects are carried out by combining cutting-edge technology with expert knowledge and creative solutions.
Their initiative of digital construction management is changing the way infrastructure projects are carried out by combining cutting-edge technology with expert knowledge and creative solutions. The capacity to produce constructible models from existing 2D plan sets and connect project, document management, and contract to the future of design—a 3D/4D/5D constructible model—are some of the critical services. Through this program, they hope to provide constructors access to the most advanced model-based construction management solution.
Carsten Gerke, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships with Bentley Systems, remarked, "Owners and construction firms realize that new digital workflows are needed to meet infrastructure demands. Applying these digital workflows successfully requires a deep understanding of technology, processes, and data."
(Source – Business Wire)
Jon Chiglo, Chief Operating Officer of WSB, added, "WSB is committed to delivering innovative, reliable, and secure solutions through the use of advanced technology. We believe the successful deployment of an operational 3D model drives transparency, maximizes return on investment, makes possible true lifecycle planning, and drives collaboration to connect and align all stakeholders."
(Source – Business Wire)
About WSB
WSB is a design and consultancy firm that provides services in more than 25 complementary areas, specializing in engineering, environmental protection, urban planning, and building construction. Established in 1995 and based in Minneapolis (MN), WSB serves customers from across the country, operating through 15 offices. Its dedicated professionals monitor and improve people's interactions with communities, transportation, infrastructure, energy, and the environment.
Read More
ENGINEERING TECH, CONSTRUCTION
Procore | March 13, 2023
With the release of SiteCloud Embedded, Sensera Systems, a leader in all-in-one compact solar cameras and job site intelligence, recently announced a strengthened partnership with Procore Technologies, an industry-leading provider of construction management software. The enhanced integration makes Sensera's advanced suite of SiteCloud apps and capabilities accessible.
SiteCloud Media Exporter, launched in 2018, was Sensera’s first partner integration with Procore.
With SiteCloud Embedded, users will save a lot of resources and time. Procore users can now access Sensera's complete SiteCloud platform from their dashboard. This includes managing and configuring real-time cameras, their powerful SiteCloud Analytics suite, and live streaming. View, monitor, and share real-time site data to find actionable insights and make workflows easier.
Carrie Hunter, Vice President Business Development of Sensera Systems stated, “We are thrilled with this latest integration advancement! This integration allows all of our Procore users to fully view their cameras (imagery and video) through the Procore dashboard. Now all your data is easily accessible in one place, so you can improve productivity, manage safety and mitigate risk with ease. This integration also includes SiteCloud Analytics which turns all your jobsite data into actionable insights, ultimately helping our customers execute with excellence!”
(Source – CISION PRWeb)
Kris Lengieza VP, Global Partnerships & Alliances remarked, "Another Procore Partner Win! Having full integration with Sensera Systems, allows Procore customers to see their project cameras from the Procore dashboard without having to navigate away; all your important data right at your fingertips! This connects your entire team on one platform and improves project execution exponentially!"
(Source – CISION PRWeb)
About Procore
Procore, headquartered in Carpinteria (California) and having offices worldwide, is a company that makes software for managing construction projects. Their project platform connects the specialty contractor, general contractor and owner to solutions they've made for the construction industry. The App Marketplace on Procore has many partner solutions that work well with their platform. This lets construction professionals connect with what works best for them. By streamlining and mobilizing project communications and documentation, Procore helps firms make projects much more efficient and accountable. This real-time data and access to it reduces costls and delays, which increases profits ultimately.
Read More