Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) of Standardized Modular Wood Components

Abstract

The challenges posed by urbanization and the linear product model of “obtain-consume-abolish” has led to irreversible damage to ecological resources. Design principles for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA) of construction projects are critical to significantly increase overall productivity, reduce costs, minimize on-site waste generation, and improve engineering quality and worker safety. This research develops a robot-assisted off-site solution that utilizes wooden components (digital material) designed as interlocking structures for easy installation and disassembly. The workflow of component-design-fabrication-assembly-reconfiguration, connector design, and assembly configuration is combined with mechanical construction, guided by DfMA principles while establishing a Circular Economy (CE) framework. This research contributes to developing robotic construction practices that enhance circularity and mitigate the negative impacts of urbanization on the environment.

Keywords:

• DfMA
• Prefabrication
• Digital Material
• Discrete Modules
• Robotic Construction
• Circular Economy (CE)

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Professor Gilles Retsin, Manuel Jimenez Garcia, and Mollie Claypool of the Bartlett School of Architecture for their advice on this project.

Data Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, Yangzhi Li.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yangzhi Li

Yangzhi Li is a PhD Student from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and has a Master’s from the Bartlett School of Architecture. She focuses on interdisciplinary research, including robotic construction, digital materials, and generative design. She was a Researcher at CRCA and a Reviewer for the International Conference on Intelligent Computing in Engineering.

Boyuan Yu

Boyuan Yu is a PhD Candidate at the Chinese University of Hong Kong with a MArch from UCL. His research includes sustainable building design and construction (SBDC), material reclamation methods and technology, and digital fabrication. He was on the youth editorial board for the Journal of Furniture and Interior Design and Industrial Design and was a Researcher at CEB-ASC, CHSLA, and CISD.

Adam Fingrut

Adam Fingrut is an Assistant Professor in Architecture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), with a research focus on computation, fabrication, and construction systems. He received his Master of Architecture from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his Bachelor of Architecture from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.

Jingwei Li

Jingwei Li has a Master’s in architecture from the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London. He researches digital architectural design. Recently, he participated in the International Conference on Intelligent Computing in Engineering and published a paper, “AR-Assisted Assembly in Self-Build Construction with Discrete Components.”