Stage 4 Draft: ABLR (Automated Brick Laying Robot)

Construction Automation Limited. Masonry. Shipping since 2020 · Shipping since 2020

3 Confirmed Deployments
1 Unique Customers

Last updated: 2026-04

Summary

The ABLR is a track-mounted gantry that automates brick, block, and mortar laying for residential house construction using standard UK bricks and traditional mortar. It lays individual bricks and dispenses mortar along a perimeter track system, building walls including corners; tie bars, damp courses, lintels, pointing, and quality inspections stay with a two-person crew. The ABLR completed its first build in October 2020 and holds NHBC Accepts accreditation (January 2022), permitting use in NHBC-warranted new homes across the UK.

Stage 4 Draft: ABLR (Automated Brick Laying Robot)
Corner and Lead Construction Unit Placement (Brick/Block/Stone)

How it works on your site

Corner and Lead Construction

The gantry follows a perimeter track that encircles the house footprint, letting it traverse corners without repositioning. A labourer loads bricks and mortar while a skilled tradesperson handles tie bars, damp courses, lintels, and pointing alongside the robot.

Unit Placement (Brick/Block/Stone)

The gripper arm picks individual bricks, measures each brick's dimensions with onboard sensors, and places it with mortar dispensed through a custom nozzle. Laser measurement provides alignment verification during the laying cycle.

How it worked on other sites

Everingham House Build

Vendor mention

Residential. Everingham, East Riding of Yorkshire, UK. ~10,000 bricks, three-bedroom house

  • Brickwork took an estimated 2 to 3 weeks; originally expected 2 weeks, extended due to mechanical problems.
  • Brick laying, block laying, mortar application, and building around corners completed on a single three-bedroom house.

NHBC Accepts Accreditation Assessment

Vendor mention

Regulatory. UK. External wall construction assessed by NHBC

  • Over one year of testing and on-site inspections before January 2022 accreditation.
  • NHBC assessed external wall construction, brick/block/mortar laying, and track system operation.

Sir Greg Knight MP Visit

Vendor mention

Demonstration. Pocklington Industrial Estate, York. 27 April 2021

  • Single-visit demonstration to a local MP; no construction output documented.

Robot also used by

Will it work on your site

Ground conditions Track on ground around house perimeter Track sank on one known site
Working height 9 m (vendor-stated)
Site preparation Perimeter track installation; SolidWorks 3D plans (vendor-stated) Track assembly time and cost not published. SolidWorks requirement is vendor-stated only.
Navigation Rail-constrained perimeter track Track installs around full house footprint
Autonomy Supervised; 2-person crew required Labourer + skilled tradesperson
Control interface Tablet-based with remote data access None
CAD input SolidWorks 3D only Not BIM-compatible (no Revit/IFC)
Certifications ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS (vendor-stated) OHSAS 18001 was withdrawn March 2021; current certification status unverified
Geographic support United Kingdom
Regulatory NHBC Accepts (January 2022) Covers 70-80% of UK new builds
Safety Scissor lifts on track; person-riding lift None
Connectivity Tablet control with remote build data None
Throughput Approx. 10,000 bricks in two weeks for a three-bedroom house Single deployment (Everingham); vendor claims build time halved from four weeks to two

Talk to Construction Automation Limited

Get in touch about the Stage 4 Draft: ABLR (Automated Brick Laying Robot) for your project.