The primary challenge in advancing the practical application of wood-wood connections lies in addressing the deficiency in performance metrics of manufacturing irregular wooden poles, such as accuracy, efficiency and cost. This study aims to address the above challenges. Initially, a comparative experiment was conducted between robotic and manual workflow to evaluate the performance differences of manufactured irregular wooden poles. A series of improvement strategies based on the evaluation results was formulated, including optimization of connection details, integration of machinery and craftsmanship, and pre-planning of workflows. These strategies effectively addressed the challenges associated with manufacturing irregular wooden poles through verification in a practical timber dome project, aligning with the growing trend of design for manufacture and assembly strategies, timber modular construction, and mass customization. Moreover, this study served as a reference for fabricating wood-wood connections with irregular poles and indicated a potential integrated application of appropriate machinery and craftsmanship.

Keywords: irregular wooden poles, wood-wood connection, performance metrics, improvement strategles, manufacturing workflow