Automated drywall cutting and hanging system and method

Abstract

An automated drywalling system having a computing device executing a computational planner that generates, before hanging any of a plurality of drywall pieces, a plan for a configuration of a plurality of cut pieces of drywall to be disposed on studs of a target wall assembly including a plurality of seams respectively defined by adjoining edges of different pairs of drywall pieces of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall, the plan for the configuration generated based at least in part on an optimization of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An automated drywalling system comprising:
 a computing device executing a computational planner that:
 obtains target wall assembly data including information regarding a configuration of a target wall assembly including a plurality of studs that define a portion of the target wall assembly; and 
 generates, before hanging any of a plurality of drywall pieces, a plan for a configuration of a plurality of cut pieces of drywall to be disposed on studs of the target wall assembly including a plurality of separate linear seams respectively defined by adjoining edges of different pairs of drywall pieces of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall, the plan for the configuration generated:
 based at least in part on the target wall assembly data; and 
 to minimize the number of separate linear seams respectively defined by the adjoining edges of the different pairs of drywall pieces of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall; 
 
 automatically generates instructions for driving the automated drywalling system to perform at least one hanging task that includes hanging the cut pieces of drywall on studs of the target wall assembly, the generation of instructions for the at least one hanging task being based on the plan for the configuration of a plurality of drywall pieces to be disposed on the studs of the target wall assembly; and 
 uses the instructions for driving the automated drywalling system to cause the automated drywalling system to perform the at least one hanging task that includes hanging the cut pieces of drywall on the studs of the target wall assembly. 
   
     
     
         2 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 1 , wherein the plan for the configuration of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall to be disposed on the studs of the target wall assembly is further generated to:
 minimize waste drywall material when cutting a set of rectangular drywall boards having the same size to generate the plurality of cut pieces of drywall;   minimize the number of cuts required to generate the plurality of cut pieces of drywall from the set of rectangular drywall boards having the same size;   minimize the number of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall;   minimize the amount of drywall mud required to complete a surface when the cut pieces of drywall are disposed on the studs of the target wall assembly;   minimize the size of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall to reduce the work required to move the plurality of cut pieces of drywall to a job site that includes the target wall assembly;   locate the plurality of separate linear seams, respectively defined by the adjoining edges of the different pairs of the drywall pieces, away from the harshest lighting conditions that the target wall assembly is exposed to; and   generate a layout that facilitates access to one or more of key pipes, vents or electrical connections and minimizes damage to the rest of the surface as a result of removing one of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall to access the one or more of key pipes, vents or electrical connections.   
     
     
         3 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 1 , wherein the automated drywalling system further comprises a hanging end effector, and wherein the plurality of cut pieces of drywall are hung on the target wall assembly by the hanging end effector. 
     
     
         4 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 3 , wherein the automated drywalling system further comprises:
 a mobile base unit with a power supply;   a robotic arm coupled to the mobile base unit with the robotic arm having a distal end; and   a power line extending from the power supply at the mobile base unit to the distal end of the robotic arm, wherein the hanging end effector is modularly and removably coupled at the distal end of the robotic arm and modularly and removably coupled with the power line at the distal end, to power hanging devices of the hanging end effector.   
     
     
         5 . An automated drywalling system comprising:
 a computing device executing a computational planner that:
 obtains target wall assembly data including information regarding a configuration of a target wall assembly including a plurality of studs that define a portion of the target wall assembly; and 
 generates, before hanging any of a plurality of drywall pieces, a plan for a configuration of a plurality of cut pieces of drywall to be disposed on studs of the target wall assembly including a plurality of seams respectively defined by adjoining edges of different pairs of drywall pieces of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall, the plan for the configuration generated:
 based at least in part on the target wall assembly data; and 
 to minimize the number of seams respectively defined by the adjoining edges of the different pairs of drywall pieces of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall. 
 
   
     
     
         6 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 5 , wherein the plan for the configuration of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall to be disposed on the studs of the target wall assembly is further generated based on one or more of:
 minimizing waste drywall material when cutting a set of drywall boards having the same size to generate the plurality of cut pieces of drywall;   minimizing the number of cuts required to generate the plurality of cut pieces of drywall from a set of drywall boards having the same size;   minimizing the number of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall;   minimizing the amount of joint compound required to complete a surface when the cut pieces of drywall are disposed on the studs of the target wall assembly;   minimize the size of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall to reduce the work required to move the plurality of cut pieces;   locating the plurality of seams, respectively defined by the adjoining edges of the different pairs of the drywall pieces, away from the harshest lighting conditions that the target wall assembly is exposed to; and   generating a layout that facilitates access to one or more of key pipes, vents or electrical connections and minimizes damage to the rest of the surface as a result of removing one of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall to access the one or more of key pipes, vents or electrical connections.   
     
     
         7 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 6 , wherein the automated drywalling system further comprises a hanging end effector, and wherein the plurality of pieces of drywall are hung on the target wall assembly by the hanging end effector. 
     
     
         8 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 6 , wherein the automated drywalling system further comprises:
 a mobile base unit with a power supply;   a robotic arm coupled to the mobile base unit with the robotic arm having a distal end; and   a power line extending from the power supply at the mobile base unit to the distal end of the robotic arm, wherein a hanging end effector is modularly and removably coupled at the distal end of the robotic arm and modularly and removably coupled with the power line at the distal end, to power hanging devices of the hanging end effector.   
     
     
         9 . An automated drywalling system comprising:
 a computing device executing a computational planner that:
 generates, before hanging any of a plurality of drywall pieces, a plan for a configuration of a plurality of cut pieces of drywall to be disposed on studs of a target wall assembly including a plurality of seams respectively defined by adjoining edges of different pairs of drywall pieces of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall, the plan for the configuration generated based at least in part on an optimization of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall. 
   
     
     
         10 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 9 , wherein the optimization comprises minimizing the number of separate linear seams respectively defined by the adjoining edges of the different pairs of drywall pieces of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall. 
     
     
         11 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 9 , wherein the optimization comprises minimizing waste drywall material when cutting a set of drywall boards to generate the plurality of cut pieces of drywall. 
     
     
         12 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 9 , wherein the optimization comprises minimizing the number of cuts required to generate the plurality of cut pieces of drywall from a set of drywall boards. 
     
     
         13 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 9 , wherein the optimization comprises minimizing the number of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall. 
     
     
         14 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 9 , wherein the optimization comprises minimizing the amount of drywall mud or joint compound required to complete a surface when the cut pieces of drywall are disposed on the studs of the target wall assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 9 , wherein the optimization comprises minimizing the size of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall to reduce the work required to move the plurality of cut pieces of drywall. 
     
     
         16 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 9 , wherein the optimization comprises generating a layout that facilitates access to one or more construction elements that will be concealed behind the plurality of cut pieces of drywall when the plurality of cut pieces of drywall are disposed on the studs of the target wall assembly to define a surface. 
     
     
         17 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 16 , wherein the optimization further comprises minimizing damage to the rest of the surface as a result of removing at least a portion of one of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall to access the one or more construction elements. 
     
     
         18 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 9 , wherein the optimization further comprises locating the plurality of seams away from the harshest lighting conditions that the target wall assembly is exposed to. 
     
     
         19 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 9 , wherein the automated drywalling system further comprises a hanging end effector, and wherein the plurality of pieces of drywall are hung on the target wall assembly by the hanging end effector. 
     
     
         20 . The automated drywalling system of  claim 9 , wherein the automated drywalling system further comprises:
 a mobile base unit with a power supply;   a robotic arm coupled to the mobile base unit with the robotic arm having a distal end; and   a power line extending from the power supply at the mobile base unit to the distal end of the robotic arm, wherein a hanging end effector is modularly and removably coupled at the distal end of the robotic arm and modularly and removably coupled with the power line at the distal end, to power hanging devices of the hanging end effector.