Many of us grew up with machines that bring back (fond or maybe not so fond) memories. I grew up on a farm in western Nebraska where we had both farm and construction equipment. We needed the construction equipment to transform one of our farms to accommodate another innovation in 1981 – center pivot irrigation.
In the early 1990s, caterpillar introduced their first autonomous trucks to be used in certain mining operations. Today, they boast millions of miles driven and billions of tons of material transported. While much has changed in the last two decades, adoption of the innovation incorporating technology has been slower than what we have seen in agriculture, manufacturing, and even in our modern vehicles. However, that trend could be changing. According to a recent survey of general contracting firms from the U.S., England, and Australia, 84% stated they are using some autonomous technology in
their operations.
I suggest there are three key areas – productivity, safety, and workforce – where innovation in construction equipment and industry can make significant end roads.
Productivity
According to a 2017 McKinsey global institute report, “reinventing construction through a productivity revolution”, productivity in construction barely changed from 1947 to 2010. While productivity increased by more than a factor of eight in manufacturing and by more than a factor of 16 in agriculture. Automation was identified as the main driver for these improvements and the potential for significant growth in productivity for construction.
While those numbers seem to shock, the realities that many of you know and have seen firsthand make the picture a little clearer. We see automation and autonomy thrive in predictable and repetitive tasks. Sure, there are repetitive tasks on a job site, but the number of variables to account for when it comes to operating equipment are just different than a field or a mine. Whether that is other machines or workers on the site, in a site, or the uncertainty of what one may find during an excavation, these variables require a more thoughtful and holistic approach to implementing autonomous solutions.
That doesn’t mean that equipment isn’t rolling off the line with autonomy built in, but rather the ability to implement it full scale is job specific. A simple online search reveals there are solutions ranging from autonomous rollers for road construction to excavators, bulldozers, and skid steer loaders working autonomously and in tandem in excavating and preparing a site. Additionally, a handful of startup companies have gained notoriety by developing retrofits and add-ons that further expand the ability of existing machines to expand their capabilities.
Safety
As I alluded to earlier, there is a lot going on with any job site. For most site managers, the last thing that they want to have to deal with is a safety issue or accident that could have been avoided. The amount of equipment and people on a job site alone lend itself to an error or oversight that could be fatal.
While the complexity of the site may vary, the ability to adapt and find solutions that make the work safer for all involved has been at the forefront. One of the impacts of incorporating innovation such as autonomation is that the number of people at risk can be reduced, enhancing productivity and safety.
In conversations with members, I have learned of the capabilities of their product lines to operate remotely in situations where the safety of the operator would have otherwise been compromised. A win/win for all involved. As technology and machine learning improves, examples like these will become more common.
Another component to safety that has been commonly used is the ability to monitor the status of the machines – whether that is simply the location of the machine or more recently more in-depth diagnostics and project activity monitoring. Being able to know the issue or activity remotely saves time for project managers and the team in the project and also can reduce the risk of damage to the machine or injury to the operator.
Finally, there are many tasks that are either difficult to perform, or due to the repetitive nature of the activity, or make work difficult for workers to perform safely and consistently. One may choose to use a drone to measure fill dirt and other material accurately when prior to adoption they would have to send staff with experience and training in that task to the site. We see machines used in buildings such as robots that work in overhead spaces or are used in laying bricks that reduce the need for ladders and awkward positioning of workers. The number of innovations in this space grows daily.
Workforce
One of the issues that we have spent a great deal of time working on with members at the company level, and even with elected officials, is the availability of a dependable and qualified workforce. One might assume that with the addition of automation this will alleviate or potentially reduce the number of employees needed. While there may be jobs that will transition, there will continue to be a need for employees to transport the equipment to sites and to monitor the operation of the equipment.
Essentially the work will change but the importance of having a qualified workforce will not. Workers will need to know how to operate and direct the machines to operate individually or in tandem. Coupling the changing demands on site as well as adapting to and managing a changing workforce will allow the industry to meet growth opportunities. But it won’t be without rethinking recruitment and training needs.
We have been active in developing partnerships with traditional schools of training such as community colleges as well as partnering with you for non-traditional or more flexible opportunities through apprenticeships. Historically, training and education has been provided by public institutions, but in order to meet the needs that come with innovation, we will need to continue to invest in and support efforts that provide the training you need through private partnerships.
It is often said that hindsight is 20/20. We benefit from knowing information after the fact that would have made the decisions more effective in the moment. The same can be applied to how we view innovation. You have a wealth of hindsight that can help you see more clearly the opportunities ahead. What you have learned in the management and operation of your business in meeting the needs of customers, will serve as a solid foundation for you to evaluate and offer innovative products and solutions.