KEN ROBOTECH CORPORATION
Creating the World's Most People-Friendly Workplace

KEN ROBOTECH has been at the forefront of offering innovative solutions that increase productivity and reduce the workload of workers at construction sites. The company’s strength lies in its ability to develop practical solutions that meet the conditions and needs of the site. For instance, its self-propelled collaborative robot, TOMOROBO, is designed to improve productivity and reduce the burden on workers.

“In Japan, there are several companies like us that are developing robots for construction sites. However, nobody has completed the technology and products which can be used at the actual working site for daily activities,” says Tatsuya Manabe, the CEO of KEN ROBOTECH. “That’s where we excel. Our rebar tying robot, TOMOROBO is already commercially available for rental in Japan.”

TOMOROBO emphasizes safety, operating reliability, and indestructibility under hard operating conditions. Safety is ensured by two types of safety sensors located on the top and bottom of the main body. It stops when the sensor detects a person or an obstacle. As a result, workers can be safe even while working close to TOMOROBO.

TOMOROBO’s every part is originally designed and manufactured with enough technical allowance, which contributes to the workability in a hard operation environment.

As the solution can be introduced immediately at the construction site, it becomes easy for customers to realize productivity improvement and safety and workers’ burden reduction. In addition to providing the robot itself, KEN ROBOTECH offers comprehensive support by providing tools, know-how, and human resources for a smooth introduction of smart construction using TOMOROBO.

KEN ROBOTECH has a track record of helping over 100 sites as of today through TOMOROBO . As an example, the company was able to improve one of its clients’ productivity in slab rebar construction by 25 percent. The company was able to produce the same amount of rebar construction with 70 percent of the people, which also increased the clients’ production rate per hour.

KEN ROBOTECH follows a collaborative robot (COBOT) development concept that can collaborate with people and greatly improve the production rate per head. It is based on four points, durability, operability, safety, and price. The company gives priority to durability and operability than equipping expensive advanced sensing systems such that workers are comfortable even with semi-automation. To achieve this, KEN ROBOTECH introduces products from the point of view and thoughts of individual workers.

Further, to make its labor-saving solutions compatible with SDG goals, KEN ROBOTECH ensures that the solutions greatly reduce health hazards caused by long working hours and carrying heavy objects in the same posture. The company’s labor-saving solutions play a vital role in expanding employment opportunities for women at construction sites and reducing work that requires physical strength and power.

“In Japan, the number of construction workers is expected to decrease, and we believe that the demand for TOMOROBO must be increased to improve the productivity and burden on workers,” says Manabe. “Through TOMOROBO, we are showcasing an opportunity to increase productivity and enable people to work in a better working environment.”