Painters dangling precariously high above ground in gondolas while they slap a new coat on a skyscraper could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to robots.
Robotic painting, as it's called, is beginning to catch on, even for jobs that require complex patterns.
One of the regional leaders in the field is Roboprint, a South Korean firm with a subsidiary in Singapore. The company, which is an exhibitor at next month's BuildTech Asia trade exhibition here, specialises in fully automated robotic painting machines.
These robots can paint large-scale surfaces such as the walls of tall buildings and industrial or commercial properties. One robot does intricate, detailed multi-colour artwork while the other paints single colours.
Mr Julian Kim Moon-ho, managing director of Roboprint Asia in Singapore, said: "In the modern world, we believe humans should no longer be exposed to the dangers of hanging perilously from ropes dangling down large structures."
He said that it is suitable to use robots to paint walls of buildings for the safety of workers.
He added that it is also cheaper, faster and more accurate when robots paint large-scale surfaces, since they do not tire or lose focus.
Roboprint will be just one of a wide range of exhibitors at the annual BuildTech Asia, which will be held at Singapore Expo Hall 3 at Max Atria from Oct 22 to 24.
The fair is being organised by Sphere Exhibits and supported by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and stakeholders in the built environment sector.
It will showcase productive technologies from 200 international and regional brands.
Exhibitors will be coming from Australia, Austria, Italy, Turkey, Japan, South Korea, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Around 10,000 people in related industries from Singapore and the neighbouring countries are expected to attend.
One of the Singapore firms that will exhibit its innovative technologies at the trade show is Shinhan Tech-Engineering.
It will showcase its Gripple Wire Rope Suspension Solution, which is a suspension product for building services, specifically in the mechanical, electrical and plumbing areas.
It is lighter than traditional rods and easier to handle and install, improving productivity and eliminating reworking.
The firm's operation director Roland Chia said: "We hope our showcase will change the mindset of the industry stakeholders.
"For any change to happen, we must change our mindset and think out of the box."
Mr Chua Wee Phong, the chairman of Sphere Exhibits, said: "It is essential for the construction sector to keep up with relevant cutting-edge technologies which will empower professionals to remain productive and profitable within the construction value chain.
"We aim to continue growing the presence of BuildTech Asia in the region and be the leading platform for industry practitioners, technology experts and distributors to network, share insights and be updated on the latest construction technologies and solutions to succeed in today's built environment sector."
