Sandblasting of Drain tank with robot

Sandblasting of Drain tank with robot

Why use a robot?

Robotic innovation is on its way to revolutionizing traditional surface treatment.

The use of robots contributes to greater efficiency, precision and significant cost reduction, while the quality of the end products is safeguarded.

In collaboration with Remotion AS, we tested the use of the robot Pluto in connection with tank work on the Gjøa platform of the former Neptune Energy, now Vår Energi AS.

The concept is a small magnetic robot weighing under 25 kg for manual handling by a person. The area of use is narrow spaces, pressure vessels, pipes, etc.

Equipped with camera, light and swing arm remotely controlled from the outside.

KNOWN CHALLENGES

• Spun each 62,5cm
• Many obstacles such as pipes and anodes
• Little space on the walls for attaching the robot
• Visibility

ACTUAL CHALLENGES

• Visibility through the external camera
• Air capacity, 9 to 18 cubic meters per minute
• Dust outside the work area

Advantages

• Consistent result
• Efficiently
• Durable
• Comfortable for the operator
• Easy to mobilize

Disadvantages

• Air-intensive
• Time consuming in areas with lots of details.
• Difficult to operate without external camera.

Conclusion

On a scale from 1 to six, where six is very suitable for use of a robot, this tank has a suitability of 2. Despite this, the robot was able to surface treat about 50% of the tank's area.

Significant improvements can be achieved by using a more complex manipulator arm.