Generalized Method Of Designing Unmanned Remotely Operated Complexes Based On The System Approach

Self-propelled underwater systems belong to the effective means of marine robotics. The advantages of their use include the ability to perform underwater work in real time with high quality and without risk to the life of a human operator. At present, the design of such complexes is not formalized and is carried out separately for each of the components – a remotely operated vehicle, a tether-cable and cable winch, a cargo device and a control and energy device. As a result, the time spent on design increases and its quality decreases. The system approach to the design of remotely operated complexes ensures that the features of the interaction of the components of the complex are taken into account when performing its main operating modes. In this paper, the system interaction between the components of the complex is proposed to take into account in the form of decomposition of “underwater tasks (mission) – underwater technology of its implementation – underwater work on the selected technology – task for the executive mechanism of the complex” operations. With this approach, an information base is formed for the formation of a list of mechanisms of the complex, the technical appearance of its components is being formed, which is important for the early design stages. Operative, creative and engineering phases of the design of the complex are proposed. For each phase, a set of works has been formulated that cover all the components of the complex and use the author's existence equations for these components as a tool for system analysis of technical solutions.The perspective of the scientific task of the creative phase to create accurate information models of the functioning of the components of the complex and models to support the adoption of design decisions based on a systematic approach is shown.The obtained results form the theoretical basis for finding effective technical solutions in the early stages of designing remotely operated complexes and for automating the design with the assistance of modern applied computer research and design packages

A framework of justification criteria for advanced manufacturing technology implementation in small and medium enterprises

Today in order to stay in businesses and prosper, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are seeking higher electiveness and competitiveness across the entire cycle of marketing, product design, manufacture, test and sales. SMEs play an increasingly important role in all aspects of competitiveness: both products and production techniques, but also management methods, the organization of the firm and human resources training. One of the ways by which SMEs can achieve a competitive advantage in manufacturing is through the implementation of Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT). An increasing number of them have chosen and are choosing various levels of AMT as the solution. Realizing the importance of SMEs, an attempt has been made in this paper to review the application of AMT in SMEs. Also, a framework has been offered for the implementation of AMT in SMEs. Finally, a summary of findings and conclusions are presented

Conformable eddy current array delivery

The external surface of stainless steel containers used for the interim storage of nuclear material may be subject to Atmospherically Induced Stress Corrosion Cracking (AISCC). The inspection of such containers poses a significant challenge due to the large quantities involved; therefore, automating the inspection process is of considerable interest. This paper reports upon a proof-of-concept project concerning the automated NDT of a set of test containers containing artificially generated AISCCs. An Eddy current array probe with a conformable padded surface from Eddyfi was used as the NDT sensor and end effector on a KUKA KR5 arc HW robot. A kinematically valid cylindrical raster scan path was designed using the KUKA|PRC path planning software. Custom software was then written to interface measurement acquisition from the Eddyfi hardware with the motion control of the robot. Preliminary results and analysis are presented from scanning two canisters

Enhancing efficiency and reliability in nuclear power plant component inspection through automated anomaly detection and imaging techniques

Bruce Power launched its Major Component Replacement program in 2020, with a particular emphasis on the replacement of critical parts within the CANDU reactors. The scope of the program includes the replacement of critical components such as steam generators, pressure tubes, calandria tubes, and feeder tubes. The examination of Calandria Tubesheet Bores (CTSB) is a particularly time-consuming activity within this program. Currently, engineers manually evaluate inspection footage to detect any defects that might lead to leak test failures. The inspection videos, however, include a large amount of visual noise due to the high radiation levels. This noise poses a considerable challenge to the accurate identification of defects, often leading to time-consuming and costly re-inspections. With the primary objective of automating this inspection process, a collaborative project was formed between Bruce Power, the nuclear operator, the University of Strathclyde, an academic institution, Prolucid, a software engineering company, and ATS Corporation, a leading automation and robotics specialist. This successful collaboration enabled the University of Strathclyde to conduct fundamental research into video denoising and automated defect detection, Prolucid to create a QA-grade software application to integrate the academic outputs, and ATS Corporation to provide the necessary robotics and automation expertise to implement the solution on-site. This partnership will result in a cutting-edge automated inspection system that greatly improves the efficiency and accuracy of the CTSB inspection process. By first reducing noise from the inspection videos, then identifying any indications on the CTSB surface, and lastly classifying these indications according to their type and severity. This automation not only streamlines Bruce Power’s inspection procedures but also includes engineers in the final decision-making process, ensuring comprehensive evaluation