Daewoo develops automatic blasting machine

Engineers at Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) have developed what the company calls a ?vacuum blasting robot for hull? which has the ability to blast the outer surface of a ship?s hull. The new system is the result of a joint research & study by DSME?s Robot & A.I R&D Institute, Painting Team 1 and Institute of Advanced Engineering (IAE).

A ceremony marking the first demonstration of this robot was held on 22nd of April and the invention is expected to increase productivity, prevent pollution, reduce WMSDs (Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders), and improve overall vessel quality. Also, because the robot can be used up to a height of 35 metres above ground level, it can be useful in other industries.

The previous blasting work was done by hand and was a lengthy procedure that involved a danger from arsenic acid caused pollution while many workers suffered from WMSDs.

The new robot uses the winch system, which enables it to move vertically and to trace the

welded line automatically. This fully automatic robot weighs only 30 kg, moves at a speed of 0.80 metres a minute and has a blasting width of 150mm. The robot is capable of reducing blasting time by 30 to 60 minutes per 25 metres of blasting, thereby saving 10 to 20 hours per a vessel.