Automated wall finishing system and method

An automated coating application system comprising:

• a mobile base unit including a storage container configured to store coating material;
• a robotic arm that extends between a base end and a distal end, the robotic arm coupled to the base unit at the base end of the robotic arm;
• a coating end effector coupled at the distal end of the robotic arm, the coating end effector configured to:
• apply coating material to a target surface via a mixing nozzle of a spray gun coupled with the storage container, the mixing nozzle configured to mix the coating material received from the storage container with at least an accelerant and one or both of a tinting or pigmenting material at the mixing nozzle, the accelerant accelerating the setting time of applied coating material compared to setting time of applied coating material without the accelerant;
• provide one or more air nozzles, the one or more air nozzles producing an air flow curtain about a coating spray generated by a coating nozzle, the air flow curtain configured to control overspray of the coating spray, direct the coating spray, or control the size and/or shape of the coating spray;
• mount one or more environmental sensors capable of providing environmental condition data onto the target surface;
• whereby the environmental sensors provide temperature and humidity data;
• and
• provide a drying source, wherein the drying source is configured to apply heat and/or dry air to coating material that has been applied by the coating end effector to the target surface;
• one or more vision systems;
• and
• a computing device executing a computational planner that:
• obtains target surface data from the one or more vision systems, the target surface data including information regarding a configuration of a wall assembly including one or more substrate pieces hung on the wall assembly;
• automatically generates, instructions for driving the coating end effector, robotic arm, and base unit to perform at least one coating task that includes applying coating material, producing the air flow curtain about the coating spray, mounting environmental sensors capable of providing environmental data, and applying heat and/or dry air to dry the coating material, via the coating end effector, to the one or more substrate pieces, the instructions based at least in part on the target surface data and a predetermined level of drywall finish;
• and
• automatically drives, the end effector, robotic arm, and base unit to perform the at least one coating task based on the generated instructions.

A coating system comprising:

• a robotic arm that extends between a base end and a distal end;
• a coating end effector coupled at the distal end of the robotic arm, the coating end effector comprising:
• a sprayer configured to apply coating material to a target surface via a mixing nozzle coupled with a mobile storage container storing coating material, the mixing nozzle configured to mix coating material received from the storage container with at least one of an accelerant, a tinting and pigmenting material at the mixing nozzle, the accelerant accelerating the setting time of applied coating material compared to setting time of applied coating material without the accelerant;
• one or more air nozzles configured to produce an air flow curtain about a coating spray generated by a coating nozzle, the air flow curtain configured to control overspray of the coating spray, direct the coating spray, or control the size and/or shape of the coating spray;
• a system configured to apply one or more environmental sensors capable of providing environmental condition data to the target surface;
• the environmental sensors configured to provide at least one of temperature and humidity data;
• and
• a drying source configured to apply heat and/or dry air to coating material that has been applied by the coating end effector to the target surface;
• a computing device executing a computational planner that:
• generates instructions for driving the coating end effector and robotic arm to perform at least one coating task that includes applying coating material, via the coating end effector, to one or more substrate pieces that define the target surface, producing the air flow curtain about the coating spray, applying environmental sensors to the target surface, and applying heat and/or dry air to dry the coating material, the instructions based at least in part on obtained target surface data and a predetermined level of drywall finish;
• and
• drives the end effector and robotic arm to perform the at least one coating task based on the generated instructions.