Snake-arm robot set to go through its paces at Sellafield

The demonstration for Sellafield will include two snake arms, deployed using OC Robotics’ Rail and Rotate platform. The snake arms will reportedly transport end effectors into a purpose-built cell mock-up to demonstrate its decommissioning and inspection capabilities.

Both snake arms will be variants of the OC Robotics Explorer Range. Each arm will have 22° of freedom, will measure 2.5m long and 100mm in diameter, and will be remotely operated by joystick.

The first snake arm will deploy an OC Robotics 3° of freedom wrist and gripper. According to the company, the wrist and gripper will contain a navigation camera and variable lighting, as well as acting as a quick change tool interface with capability to carry electric and pneumatic tools, with services fed through the centre of the snake arm. A custom inspection camera, a swabbing tool, a representative radiological probe and sampling scoops will all be demonstrated.

OC Robotics said the second snake arm will have a high-pressure water-jetting tool integrated into it. The tool is being supplied by Sellafield and is of a type currently used for decontamination tasks on its site.

‘Previously we have built bespoke snake-arm solutions for very specific problems,’ said Rob Buckingham, managing director at OC Robotics. ‘The objective with this work is to demonstrate that snake-arm robots can become a generic, modular tool for a wide range of decommissioning tasks.

‘This offers companies such as Sellafield the ability to standardise on a single platform and develop the experience and expertise required to solve confined space challenges.’