Developed by China Railway Science and Industry Group Co., Ltd., China Railway Construction Engineering Group and Guangzhou Metro Corporation, the robot is 80 meters long, with a weight of 460 tons and an effective span of 69 meters. It can install beams weighing up to 120 tons and will tackle construction of Chisha depot of Guangzhou Metro Line 11. The depot is the world's first metro depot with semi-buried fabricated double-layer structure and high-rise buildings, so it is a great challenge for equipment design and development.
Equipped with 72 sensors and 50 cameras, the robot forms a 'network hub' to be more intelligent. Eight independently movable legs mounted on 32 wheels enable the robot to walk horizontally and longitudinally. The legs can stretch independently and climb over slopes and obstacles, making it possible to conduct cross-layer operation without interfering with construction tasks like crane operation and cast in situ, like a flexible 'big spider'. This makes it automatic and intelligent.
The robot uses BeiDou differential positioning and deviation correction system and variable frequency speed regulation technology, for precise construction and smooth operation and has a measurement accuracy of 10 millimeters. The company has applied for two national invention patents. The workload that previously required dozens of workers can now be handled by an operator and a guide when Chisha swings into action. This reduces labor cost, labor intensity, noise and dust, while greatly improving the construction efficiency.