Robotic Stripping
Mother Nature's new best friend is a robot. NASA's efforts
in robotics are paying off in the commercial sector, as UltraStrip
Systems, Inc., of Stuart, Florida, took advantage of NASA's funding,
technology, and lessons learned in developing robotics for space
missions, such as the unmanned exploration of Mars, to develop
the patented M-2000 Robotic Paint Stripping System. Built out
of a partnership between NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL),
the National Robotics Engineering Consortium (NREC) at Carnegie
Mellon University, and UltraStrip, the M-2000 is a robotic paint
removal system that strips paint from ships without polluting
the environment with toxic airborne dust.
Before a ship can be painted, marine growth, corrosion, and
layers of old paint must be removed. The semi-autonomous paint
removal system attaches itself magnetically to the hull of a
ship, with a vacuum hose running from it. A controller helps
navigate the robot along the surface of the ship with 360 degrees
of movement. The M-2000's high-pressure water jet generates 40,000
pounds per square inch of pressure to blast away the paint right
down to the ship's steel substrate.
Traditional grit blasting
produces toxic dust which poses a health risk to workers as well
as the environment. |
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UltraStrip Systems,
Inc.'s M-2000 removes paint from the hulls of ships faster and
without producing toxic airborne particles common to traditional
grit blasting. |
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The resulting by-product is nothing more than water and dried
paint chips, both of which are captured by the powerful vacuum
system so no toxic residues escape to pollute the environment.
The waste products are passed through a filtering system in a
closed loop, extracting the paint from the water into a container,
and recycling the water.
Using robotics to remove paint is a major advancement from
the traditional method of paint stripping. Traditional grit blasting
techniques release environmental contaminants via the toxic dust
produced, placing workers at risk for injury. It is also more
expensive, which is an important consideration given the frequency
ships need to be repainted. By using recycled water, water usage
is reduced and there is no costly grit removal to landfills.
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The diagram demonstrates the high-pressure
water jet and vacuum pump that make UltraStrip Systems' robotic
paint stripping system environmentally safe.
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Other benefits of UltraStrip's M-2000 extend beyond preserving
the environment. The robotic system is able to strip paint faster
and remove more contaminants from the paint surface, all at a
cost savings over grit blasting. The M-2000 removes salt and
surface contaminants at a rate 200 percent greater than grit
blasting. The result is improved paint coat adhesion, extending
the coating life and reducing the need for constant repainting.
The shorter time spent in dry dock increases profits for companies
in the shipping industry. The M-2000 requires as few as four
operators to remove the six to twelve acres of paint surface
found on a typical supertanker, which also reduces the cost of
labor and contributes to the reduced risk of injury.
While this technology is going to market, improvements are
underway at JPL that will enhance the performance and reduce
the time to remove the paint by at least 50 percent, using ultrasound
to blast the paint off while the water removes it. A brush sensor
is also being developed to sense any paint residue, which will
optimize the speed of the operation while improving the quality
of the paint removal.
UltraStrip is currently working with shipyards from around
the world to transition them to the M-2000 system. The company
is also already looking into a second-generation of the technology
to include computer vision, allowing the robot to adjust its
course. Sensors are also being developed to detect surface quality,
paint thickness, and amounts of paint remaining on the hull.
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Jean-Michel
Cousteau, president of a non-profit organization dedicated to
preserving the global water system, seen here with the M-2000
has partnered with UltraStrip Systems to keep the world's water
ecosystems clean. |
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