Customized Robot for Automatic Refurbishment of Masts and Towers

I&T Wish Customized Robot for Automatic Refurbishment of Masts and Towers
(REF: W-0556)
Matched I&T Solution
Trial Project
Summary and Challenges
  • This project aims to develop a comprehensive customised robot that can climb or fly to the masts and towers and carry out refurbishment works, including rust and crack identification, de-rusting and paint spraying, so as to help minimise the risks of working at height.
  • There are 3 main types of metallic masts and towers:
    • Type 1: Mast without projected objects
    • Type 2: Mast with projected objects
    • Type 3: Tower with crisscrossed metal framework
  • The potential challenges of the project:
    • The weight of the robot together with its loading for refurbishment works vs the adsorption surface area from the masts and towers may be a concern.
    • The surface of masts and towers are not perfectly smooth and some with projected objects.
    • The diameter of the masts and towers for type 1 can be smaller than 500mm and can be as thin as 130mm at the mast top.
Expected Outcome
  • A customized robot (which can be in the form of a climbing robot, a drone or a hybrid robot with both climbing and flying function) shall be designed, developed, built, tested and commissioned with the following minimum features:
    • Non-destructive defect identification;
    • De-rusting and paint spraying;
    • Battery life should be enough for at least one round trip of travelling for one type of refurbishment works (Refers to the masts and towers with at least 15m high).
  • The robot should be equipped with camera and remote control for the operator to know the real-time refurbishment status;
  • Operation modes: Manual, Semi-automatic and Fully Automatic;
  • The robot should work stably on the masts and towers without the risk of falling due to strong wind or affected by humidity or fogging environment;
  • The robotic operation should allow for a certain tolerance in the mast diameter;
  • The robot shall work for at least one of the mast and tower types stated in the Summary and Challenges;
  • The proposal to be submitted should include at least three milestones;
  • Below are some suggestions for the milestones:
    • climbing up or flying to the masts for non-destructive defect identification,
    • de-rusting,
    • paint spraying,
    • (climbing robot) climbing to the masts with projected obstacles,
    • (climbing robot) climbing to the towers.
Expected Trial Duration 12-month
Contact Information
I&T Wish Proposer:Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD)
Contact Person:Ms MAN Choi Lai
Position:Project Officer / Innovation / 2
Tel:3757 6125
Email: clman@emsd.gov.hk
Upload Date 2024-12-09
Closing Date 2024-12-23
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