Optimization Algorithm for Cutting Masonry with a Robotic Saw

Abstract

The contribution of this study is in the novel application of the bin packing algorithm that is used to optimize the robotic bricklaying process with the aim of minimizing the wearing of a robotic saw used for splitting brick blocks so as to minimize brick consumption. To optimize the cutting of masonry blocks with a robotic saw, a new bin packing algorithm has been developed to enhance the design of a digital cutting plan. The algorithm is based on the principle of random search for all combinations of cutting execution with respect to the maximum number of objects (cuts) found in one container (masonry block). The new bin packing algorithm (NBPA) minimizes the number of total masonry blocks (containers) and the number of cuts made with a robotic saw, thus reducing the cutting length. The algorithm can converge to a solution rather quickly and reliably to identify optimal variants of a digital plan designed for a robotic saw to be used in different object assemblies. This article describes the optimization algorithm, including step-by-step calculations, and provides a practical example and a comparison of the results with earlier algorithms. The concept of the robotic saw is also presented in detail, including a description of a prototype. The simulation of the performance on 20 different sets of elements showed that NBPA has a similar use of space compared to the First-Fit Decreasing algorithm (FFD). Multicriteria analysis demonstrated that when the weighting criterion for saw wear was 40% of all the criteria, the use of NBPA was approximately 3.5 times more effective than FFD. The application of the new methodology to a robotic bricklaying process has the potential to reduce the wear of robotic saw, to increase the speed of the construction process and to reduce the generation of construction and demolition waste (CDW).