ABLR (Automated Brick Laying Robot)

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

3 Confirmed Deployments
3 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.

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

Everingham House Build

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.

Sir Greg Knight MP Visit

Sir Greg Knight MP Visit

Demonstration. Pocklington Industrial Estate, York. 27 April 2021

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

Robot also used by

Private individual

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 ABLR (Automated Brick Laying Robot) for your project.