Anymal: Port of Tubarão recruits a special maintenance assistant

The maintenance team at the Port of Tubarão, located in the city of Vitória, Espírito Santo, will count on a special assistant for daily inspections. The robot Anymal is in Vitória for a training period with the team.

According to Vale, Anymal is capable of collecting and reporting visual, thermographic, and vibration data, providing, through Artificial Intelligence, consistent and up-to-date information on the integrity of equipment and infrastructure. The use of the robot minimizes human exposure in hazardous locations.

“The robot removes dangers associated with inspection activities, such as rotating equipment parts and noise. It also helps in tasks when the person needs to execute a task in an uncomfortable position, as well as allowing access to tight locations with enhanced security,” explains Rayner Teixeira, Vale’s operational analyst in charge of the development of the robot Anymal.

The robot can be set up for autonomous inspections using a pre-programmed route or remotely guided by an operator. Anybotics, a Swiss startup, designed the quadruped robot. It was already utilized in other sectors before being developed for mining operations with the help of Vale.

According to the company, the robot was acquired in May 2022 after undergoing a proof of concept at the Cauê mine plant in Itabira, Minas Gerais.

After the team’s training period in Tubarão, the robot will return to Minas Gerais. Another unit is expected to arrive at the port in about three months.

Training

During the proof of concept, the robot maneuvered around the platform and was tested in tasks like going up and down stairs. In addition, it created and displayed a digitized map of the area under inspection, performed route planning and defined the way forward, focused on specific objects and instruments, transmitted images, and recorded thermal images with temperature measurements, among other functions.

About ten inspectors from the port’s electrical and mechanical maintenance areas will undergo training to work directly with the robot.

“An autonomous robotic visual inspection will help maintenance by enhancing availability and reliability, making it a potential resource for increasing productivity and cost optimization, as well as assuring safer operation,” says Rodrigo Vasconcelos, manager of general operations at the Port of Tubarão.

Source: ES Brasil

To read the full original article, please go to: https://esbrasil.com.br/anymal-porto-tubarao-recebe-assistente-especial-para-manutencoes/

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