Austell, Ga.-based YKK AP America Inc. signed an agreement with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh to conduct joint research on advanced technology to install windows, curtainwalls, doors and other products in buildings. The agreement was finalized in May and activities are underway.

The company stated the program is in response to the shortage of labor at construction sites and shorten the construction period. The purpose of the joint research is to develop new technology for fenestration products installation at job sites by using robots and information technology to improve construction productivity and quality. YKK AP and CMU will investigate virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality technologies, and research new methods of installation to bring enhanced innovation to the construction industry. YKK AP America stated a long-term research and development, and technology development partnership would be mutually beneficial for its business and the construction industry.
Oliver Stepe, president at YKK AP America, said, “YKK AP is seeing future constraints on field labor not only in the US, but across the globe. Increasingly tight schedules, rapid building close-ins, and constraints on skilled field labor are demanding the development of advanced technologies. By partnering with Carnegie-Mellon University’s leading research team, the YKK AP Inc.’s goal is to bring new and advanced construction technologies to market, creating efficiencies for the global construction industry.”