Wanting to reduce the overall number and severity of vehicle collisions, decrease travel time delays, expand bike/pedestrian access, and support community cohesion as well as economic development in the region, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation set out to improve the US 12/18 and County AB interchange.
Set in the southwestern portion of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin (southeast of Madison), a significant portion of the project is the construction of new bridge featuring a series of round-abouts with long frontage roads to Highway 12/18 beneath. The project includes safety improvements to dangerous intersections with early estimates at $35 million.
According to local news reports, the intersection at County Highway AB saw 35 vehicle collisions between 2014 and 2018 which included 19 injuries and one fatality. When combined with a nearby dangerous intersection (also included in the project), the intersections ranked highest statewide for injury severity.
As of June 2023, the project’s construction continues. But they’re getting a hand, if you will, in production with the innovative mindset of Waukesha, Wisconsin-based MKE Iron Erectors Inc. by hiring the rebar tying robot TyBOT from Advanced Construction Robotics Inc. (ACR).
MKE is a full-service rebar subcontractor for division 3 and 5 construction projects. Their experienced team of professionals safely build the roads, bridges, erect steel, lift precast girders, and efficiently install reinforcing steel for all foundations, supports, and decks. Their skilled union ironworkers and LEAN thinking team understands how to perform precast concrete and metal work using the best practices designed to save time, money, and stress. (Division 3 projects are for concrete reinforcement and division 5 are medium sized structural steel projects.)
Part of that drive for efficiency is the interest in innovation. They were introduced to TyBOT during a conference and took the opportunity to see it in action in Florida with Shelby Erectors where they typically have one if not two of the robots running, saving them between 200-300 manhours per job.
Read more at “Florida Bridge Contractor Automates Rebar Tying to Shave Labor and Days off the Timeline”
Seeing the innovation in action led MKE to hire ACR for the IH-39 Structure B-11-166 bridge in Columbia County, Wisconsin. Setting a record for the western-most project for the robot. According to the release, TyBOT accomplished 17,823 ties in two shifts for the 7,775 sq. ft. area, tying over 1,100 ties per hour – which according to MKE was record-breaking feat for the manufacturer.
TyBOT was introduced in 2018 and has won several innovation awards in the construction industry. With the addition of Wisconsin, TyBOT has now completed 3.5 million ties on jobs in 11 different states and on over 40 projects. With this latest bridge in Cottage Grove, they can count one more.
As the first contractor in Wisconsin to deploy the innovative tool, Barb Sheedy, president and owner of MKE Iron Erectors Inc. says that resilience is one of the company’s core values. “Having TyBOT on our jobsite was a major asset to our crew as they finished the project on time and on budget,” she says. “Just as importantly, TyBOT will provide health and safety benefits for our union ironworkers. Less tying means they will experience less physical stress, possibly extending their careers while avoiding strain injuries. We look forward to using TyBOT on future projects.”
ACR is committed to equipping modern crews with state-of-the-art technology and cutting-edge equipment. By embracing modern equipment, contractors like MKE Iron Erectors, Inc. push the entire industry forward, setting new standards for productivity and quality. ACR remains unwavering in its dedication to supporting modern crews by providing the equipment they need to thrive in an increasingly tech-driven industry.
In the release on the Columbia County job, Danielle Proctor, president and CEO of ACR said that they were excited to add a new customer and state to their portfolio. "MKE Iron serves as a great example of an innovative contractor that has taken the first step on the path to creating a modern workforce by seeing first-hand how technology can impact their projects," she says.
Tying A Deck Reinforcement Together
In a twist, integrating the robot went much smoother than anticipated for MKE. As a union company, they anticipated some pushback from workers but quickly resolved itself. Before using TyBOT a full team of people would be on the deck tying with a rebar tying tool from Max USA Corp. One worker even engineering their own removable attachment made of PVC pipe to keep workers standing.
MKE celebrates this clever mindset. “Your body is a tool, keep it safe,” says Sheedy. “If you think of a smarter, faster way to do it – say something.” A comment personifying the company’s comfort in adding robotics to the team. With the TyBOT doing the work of five people, MKE’s workers aren’t just sitting by. In this instance, while the robot was working in Cottage Grove, MKE had workers elsewhere – tying a job much too small for the system. However, it’s not able to work autonomously. Lessons learned told Sheedy that TyBOT isn’t capable of tying 100% of the needed intersections as its dimensions restrict how close it can get to the edges of the deck. Once those are planned for, it can handle the majority of the back-bending labor.
Installing TyBOT onto the jobsite requires an adjustment of the timeline as MKE’s model utilizes the same rail as the concrete paver or screed. Ironically, while the robot was hard at work in Cottage Grove, ACR has announced an updated version able to drive on the concrete form instead of rail. Once set up and calibrated, a camera detects the necessary rebar intersections. Wisconsin DOT requires 50% of intersections for rebar and an operator from ACR is there for last-minute commands.
A/B Overpass Project Specs
- Foreman: Dan Wehr
- 90,870 lbs. substructure
- 118,150 lbs. of epoxy coated steel
- 212,000 lbs. total
- 150 ft. 6 in. long deck
- 77 ft wide deck
- 10-in. deep pour with a 2-in. concrete coverage
As with many innovations in the construction industry, robotics like TyBOT represent one more tool to get the job done in an industry straining to rebuild the bench of workers. “The bench isn’t that deep anymore,” says Sheedy. “Innovation is a way to bolster the jobs done, done.”
