Meet Dusty The Robot
From drones and 3D printing to virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), the future of construction is already here. Now, Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 104 and the Bay Industry Training Fund are excited to introduce today’s cutting-edge technology to the training curriculum — Dusty, an autonomous robot designed for full-scale floor layout.
Although it looks like a rugged Roomba, this end-to-end solution from Dusty Robotics packs a big punch. In the first quarter of 2022 alone, Dusty’s FieldPrinter solutions laid out more than 25 million square feet on the floors of buildings — and their adoption has only become more widespread since then. In the Bay Area, the Local 104 JATC has become the first apprenticeship program in the nation to offer a robust pilot program to train apprentices and journeypersons on the setup, dismantling, operation and troubleshooting capabilities of the printer. Classes began April 15.
“Establishing classes for the Dusty Robotics system shows how the JATC continually looks to advance awareness on current technologies to make members more efficient and thus more valuable to contractors,” said Nate Vennarucci, Local 104 Training Coordinator. “This technology is not limited to just the Dusty Robotics FieldPrinter, but includes advanced training in Revit, field scanning, field layout and installation of systems. This will benefit the industry overall as our trainings will provide a skilled and qualified workforce who can accurately and safely operate the equipment used on the jobsite.”
Underscoring the interest and demand for new technology, the first few classes have been completely full. According to Vennarucci, the JATC plans to continue building new classes on a monthly basis and will populate them through SMW104Training.org as they’re scheduled. Completed classes will fulfill the certification process recognized by the Dusty Robotics company.
The software powering the Dusty FieldPrinter can begin with a 3D design, or you can create a robot-ready 2D CAD with all necessary printable information in layers. Next comes locations of surveyor-established controls points in CSV format. Once the operator, who has full control through the tablet interface, directs Dusty to print, the robot completes the task. As the final step, Dusty’s report generator provides the operator with a digital report of the completed work and productivity rates.
Already, clients across the country are using Dusty in the field to save on rework and become more efficient. A few notable projects include the Los Angeles International Airport, California’s Wildlife Heritage Museum and Prism Apartments in San Francisco.
“Construction technologies will remain evolving to further advance jobsite productivity. Staying up to date and current with the operation of these technologies is paramount in capturing the work associated with these tools,” Vennarucci said. “It also provides a benefit to our contractors because it will ensure maximizing on the efficiencies the technology provides through training.”