Autonomous phased array ultrasound robotic NDT of long weld lines (AWI)

Failure of ship-hull welds can result in loss of vessels, loss of life and pollution of the environment. This is prevented by inspecting all welds with ultrasound (as required by Classification Society rules) which is labour-intensive, expensive and hazardous to operators. The aim of this project is to develop a new, automated robotic inspection system that will climb ship surfaces, autonomously tracking the weld lines, ultrasonically scanning the weld. AWI will dramatically reduce inspection and maintenance times by 32%, reduce shipbuilding and ship operating costs by 4%, and upskill the UK shipbuilding workforce, bringing a competitive edge to the UK shipbuilding and non-destructive testing / inspection industry. AWI benefits include: fast reproducible and accurate weld testing, reduced labour costs, safer working and lower insurance costs, higher overall equipment effectiveness due to high ‘availability’ (uptime), performance and quality. The project is led by NDT Consultants Ltd., a UK SME inspection services provider who will develop new robotic inspection services for the UK and global shipping industries. The supply-chain consortium also includes InnotecUK Ltd., an SME robotics manufacturer who will commercialise the AWI robot.