Development of a new automatic rebar tying robot and its adaptive force control

Abstract

The automation of repetitive and labor-intensive tasks in construction has become increasingly important for enhancing safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Rebar tying, a fundamental step in reinforced concrete construction, is traditionally carried out manually, resulting in high labor demands, ergonomic risks, and limited precision. Existing automated solutions often fall short in addressing dynamic disturbances such as the impulsive backlash generated during the tying process. This paper presents a novel mobile manipulator designed for fully automatic rebar tying, featuring a reconfigurable locomotion mechanism and an RRR-type robotic arm integrated with a robust adaptive force control scheme. The proposed control algorithm actively compensates the unpredictable backlash forces during the tying operation, ensuring positional stability and consistent performance. Simulations conducted in MATLAB-Simulink demonstrate accurate trajectory tracking, even in the presence of external disturbances. These results highlight the potential of the proposed system to improve operational speed, reduce physical strain on workers, and advance automation in construction environments.