Japan develops robotic ship inspection tool
ClassNK has awarded its IE to a new Japanese wall-climbing robot for ship maintenance (Source: MOL)
The wall-climbing robot for ship’s steel structures, developed by Mitsui OSK Lines, Sumitomo Heavy Industries and MOL Shipmanagement to support ship inspection and maintenance has completed a demonstration test and earned the ClassNK innovation endorsement (IE).
The IE is ClassNK’s third-party certification programme. It certifies and supports initiatives that contribute to the sustainable evolution of maritime and offshore businesses.
The robot developed by the Japanese partners is characterised by its high traversability, not only on vertical surfaces but also on curved surfaces and uneven surfaces. It can move to high surfaces that were previously difficult to access by humans or robots, and can take clear photos and inspections of the relevant parts.
Moreover, it is capable of measuring the thickness of steel plates by remote operation of the operator, and its measurement accuracy is as high as 0.01mm.
This not only avoids the chance of working at heights, but also eliminates the need for scaffolding, reducing both labour and equipment costs.
Furthermore, the robot can even work in confined spaces, eliminating the risk of oxygen deficiencies for the ship’s crew.
A demonstration test of the robot was recently conducted in a vessel’s cargo hold and observed by ClassNK. The robot successfully completed various operations, such as navigating around corners; acquiring bulkhead and cargo hold inspection images and measuring steel plate thickness, which is difficult to achieve using conventional robots.
The innovative robots performance and technology, as well as its functions for ship maintenance, have been recognised.
Mitsui OSK Lines and MOL Shipmanagement will now develop its robotic ship maintenance tool in parallel with Sumitomo HI’s robotic development and manufacturing technology. They are also looking at digital data transfer.
