Industrial robots are becoming an increasingly popular choice in a variety of industries for different applications. Going by responses to a McKinsey and Company survey, up to 88% of businesses worldwide intend to adopt robotic automation into their infrastructure.
Modern robotic units are highly programmable and versatile, and they come in a wide range of models ideal for plant floor activities, from quality control to product assembling and warehousing.
However, apart from the manufacturing process, there are other applications for robots: in the maintenance department.
Why Use Robots?
Keeping systems and equipment continuously running in peak condition requires a strategic mix of planning and scheduling as well as adequate allocation of resources. But even after doing all that is required, industrial equipment will eventually break down and require prompt attention. As expected, all this makes maintenance and repair both time-consuming, costly, and sometimes dangerous.
Furthermore, whether the task at hand is an inspection, maintenance, or repair job, using a robot offers several advantages, including
- Better safety. Robots can enter hazardous environments and perform tasks that would be extremely dangerous for humans. These tasks can be completed with little or no damage to the robot.
- Improved accuracy. Robots guarantee a certain degree of quality and precision that human labor would be unable to maintain consistently for long periods. They can deliver these results with minimal mistakes, if any.
- Longer hours. For repetitive maintenance tasks, they offer the possibility of scheduling the job to run for long hours without the need for breaks.
- Flexibility. Robotic systems can be repurposed, retooled, and reprogrammed for other uses.
Shell’s Sensabot
To help make oil exploration safer, Shell designed a robot called Sensabot for use in hazardous locations. Shell refers to Sensabot as a “bionic inspector.” It can monitor equipment, carry out inspections, and perform maintenance tasks.
Sensabot is equipped with video cameras, vibration sensors, laser scanners, environmental sensors, and other hardware that can withstand extreme temperatures and potentially explosive and toxic environments. Before the arrival of Sensabot, Shell would shut down hazardous locations for oil and gas workers to complete inspections or maintenance work. But this robot gives them the chance to respond faster and more effectively to maintenance issues and emergencies.