July 7, 2025
How a robot welds an apartment

Robotic automation is taking over manual processes at the Z Modular plant in Chandler, Arizona. Its modular steel approach, leveraging advanced automation and robotic welding to streamline production, aims to shorten construction cycles from years to as little as nine months as well as tackle America’s housing crisis. Central to its innovation is Z Block, a precision-cast component with a tapered section that slides into the HSS inside diameter with tight tolerances. Modules are fabricated to be over 90% complete before leaving the factory, including electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems, significantly reducing on-site work.
“Hopefully, I can be that pied piper and everyone will believe in my story and want to be part of it. I’ve done it before, and I want to do it again. I think this is a bigger opportunity than my steel tubing business ever could be.”
Barry Zekelman, President of Zekelman Industries
Read the full article here: https://www.thefabricator-digital.com/thefabricator/202506/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=2066141#articleId2066141