MR4Weld (Mobile Robot for Weld)

2023: Product Announcement

At the end of June 2023, Italian companies Comau and Fincantieri announced the MR4Weld (Mobile Robot for Weld) platform. This is the world's first robotic mobile system for shipbuilding, its developers say.

The robot is designed to automate labor-intensive outdoor welding. The solution includes a 6-axis articulated manipulator with high load capacity, equipped with a welding torch. The entire system is mounted on a tracked chassis that provides good maneuverability. Machine vision means are provided to automatically detect welds.

MR4Weld

According to the developers, the MR4Weld provides higher welding quality compared to the traditional approach. In addition, the safety and efficiency of work is improved. The system can be operated without guards on any of the decks of the vessel. The amount of operations performed increases approximately threefold compared to the manual process. The platform is endowed with specialized digital tools for collecting welding and manufacturing data that can be used to track the quality of work. The complex is used at Fincantieri shipyards.

In addition, within the framework of cooperation, Comau and Fincantieri intend to develop mobile robotic solutions to automate other routine tasks in shipbuilding processes, including those related to vertical and nonlinear surfaces and unstructured environments. The partners also intend to use Comau exoskeletons to reduce the burden on shipbuilding workers. Fincantieri will collaborate with Comau to strengthen and improve the technical skills of its professionals in the use and programming of mobile robotic systems.^[1]

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