Testing of a mobile robotic welding solution to raise shipbuilding efficiency has begun in Italy. The MR4Weld outdoor automated system is the first issue of a collaboration agreement implemented in 2021 by Trieste-headquartered international shipbuilding group Fincantieri and Turin-based industrial robotics specialist Comau.
Considered a new paradigm in bringing automation beyond the factory floor, the articulated machine will be used within Fincantieri shipyards to autonomously weld steel structures. It offers the possibility of a three-fold gain in productivity relative to labour-intensive, manual welding, along with improved weld quality and reduced ergonomic risks. The development may also be seen as a pro-active response to the global shortage of welding professionals.
Source: Fincantieri
The MR4Weld mobile robot is being put through its paces by Fincantieri.
MR4Weld comprises a high-payload, 6-axis articulated robot fitted with a welding torch installed on a tracked undercarriage and using an integral vision system to autonomously identify welding joints. It can be managed by a single operator in both transfer mode and during welding. MR4Weld is controlled through sensors, embedded programming algorithms and highly intuitive navigation software to facilitate movement in any environment. Safety compliance is such that the system can be used without fences throughout the multi-deck configuration of newbuilds such as cruise ships.
The system also employs digital tools to collect welding and production data that can be used to record the welded joints. Fincantieri and Comau have jointly filed a European patent application relating to specific MR4Weld technological features.
The development allies with Fincantieri’s strategy of introducing automated working methods to highly repetitive and non-high value-added production activities. The group will work with Comau to strengthen and upgrade the technical skills of shipyard personnel in terms of using and programming the robotised mobile systems.
As part of the collaborative pact, the companies plan to develop mobile robotic solutions to automate other repetitive tasks within shipbuilding processes, including those entailing vertical and non-linear surfaces and unstructured environments. Another strand of the cooperation will involve the testing of Comau exoskeletons to further improve ergonomic conditions and operator well-being.
Furthermore, both companies will look to the industrialisation and reconfiguration of the MR4Weld solution beyond use in shipbuilding to other sectors that entail large-scale steel fabrication, including infrastructure projects, and bridge and crane construction. This is also pertinent to Fincantieri’s diversification into the civil engineering field. According to Comau, the mobile robotics market as a whole is forecast to see a five-year, compound annual growth rate of 15% between 2022 and 2027.
