An autonomous system for installing nail plates in wooden structures is provided. The system includes a C-clamp press attached to and be operated by a mobile robot. The C-clamp press includes a hydraulic cylinder operable to move a top plate relative to a stationary bottom plate; a coupler interposed between an end of the hydraulic cylinder and a the top plate; a stationary bottom plate; a top magnetic plate attached to the top plate; and a bottom magnetic plate attached to the bottom plate. Each of the top and bottom magnetic plates are configured to hold a nail plate and to embed the nail plate into a wooden member of a wooden structure when the C-clamp press is operated by the mobile robotic arm. The system further includes a computer vision system and a pressure sensor.

Automated systems and methods of manufacturing truss elements for use in modular construction units can include stations, or steps, for forming angled webs, upright webs, and truss chords for use in the truss elements, transferring such angled webs, upright webs, and truss chords onto an assembly jig in a configuration corresponding to the truss element being manufactured, rigidly interconnecting, via nail plates, the angled webs, the upright webs, and the truss chords to form a finished truss element, and unloading the finished truss element from the assembly jig.

A lumber cutting and delivery system for use in assembling trusses on a truss table includes a saw for cutting a piece of material into pieces of a truss. A trunk conveyor system receives the pieces cut from the saw. The trunk conveyor system has a first conveying element to transport the pieces over a distance in a travel direction and an ejector for discharging the pieces from the first conveying element in a first discharge direction. A branch conveyor system is configured to receive the pieces discharged from the trunk conveyor system in the first discharge direction. The branch conveyor system has a main conveying element to transport the pieces.