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Research & development

 

Our vision is to maximise the reuse of equipment by making our access robots modular and expanding their work areas. In our R&D efforts, we collaborate with leading universities, research organisations and industry partners to drive incremental innovation, enhance efficiency, and deliver greater value to our clients.

Splash zone fleet

 

With 20 years of experience in splash zone projects, we have developed a range of advanced access robots. Details of our fleet will be added soon.

Recent R&D initiatives 

 

Automated non-destructive weld inspections in the splash zone (ANDWIS)

In collaboration with research organisation SINTEF, we have developed an autonomous inspection robot for NDT of welds in the splash zone. The addition of a cutting-edge 3D vision system along with an advanced control system is likely to reduce measurement time, and elevate the quality of the data.

Innovation project for increased modularity

We are currently working on a project to make our access robots more modular for easier adaptation and to expand their vertical working range. This involves redesigning our existing equipment to use reusable and easily replaceable components compatible with various access robots. This will save significant work hours and reduce material consumption, allowing for much faster mobilisation by eliminating the need for custom designs and lead times for materials.

As part of the project, we are exploring the possibilities for electrification. Electrification will offer significant savings through simpler mobilisation and assembly, and enable operations at deeper levels previously limited by hydraulic constraints.

Additionally, the project aims to expand the vertical working range, optimising the use of rigged and mounted access robots for a broader range of tasks. This will allow OceanTech to undertake the entire scope of work, from splash zone to deeper subsea operations, reducing the overall cost of these projects significantly.