Field Experience from Robot Tests on Drill Floor and Pipe Deck

The objective of this paper is to present results from extensive testing of fully robotic drilling and pipe handling operations in the drilling industry, including several robots and tests on both land and offshore. Throughout the last eight years, all-electric, heavy-duty drilling and pipe handling robots of up to seven tons capacity have been tested and piloted on dedicated test facilities, land rigs and offshore rigs. The robotic equipment includes drill floor robot, pipe handler robot, robotic roughneck and pipe deck robot with the purpose of removing the people from the drill floor, derrick and the pipe deck. The testing and qualification have been conducted in phases and in a cooperation between equipment manufacturer, rig contractors and operating companies. The industry has great expectations with the introduction of robotics for red zone management and eliminating all manual operations and human exposure to heavy machinery. Expected value would be a substantial saving in rig days due to fast, precise and consistent operations and removal of people out of harm's way. In addition to improved safety, reduced OPEX, less downtime and faster installation, the robotics systems lower the noise and the carbon footprint due to higher energy efficiency and less GHG emissions. Also, the precise motion control of robots enables digitalization of the drilling process. The testing of robots in drilling applications has been done with the purpose of testing and qualifying the technology, as well as gaining experience with performance, reliability, maintainability, safety, and value to the users. This paper presents performance data from robot operations including both single robots and full system operations, such as tripping and stand-building. Reliability of electric robots in hostile environment is analyzed with regards to field experience from land rig drilling and offshore operations. Finally, the value to the users is substantiated. The paper provides unique results and experience from the longest and broadest tests of heavy-duty all-electric robots in the drilling environment. It therefore provides valuable input for decisions of future use of industrialized robots in the oil and gas upstream industry.

Tool accessibility with path and motion planning for robotic drilling and riveting

Robotic applications in aerospace manufacturing and aircraft assembly today are limited. This is because most of the aircraft parts are relatively small or have complex shapes that make tasks like robotic drilling and riveting more challenging. These challenges include tool accessibility, path planning, and motion planning. In this thesis, a process methodology was developed to overcome the tool accessibility challenges facing robotic drilling and riveting for aircraft parts. The tool accessibility was analyzed based on the Global Accessibility Area and the Global Accessibility Volume to determine the accessible boundaries for parts with zero, one and two surfaces curvatures. The path planning was optimized based on the shortest distance, least number of steps, and minimal tool orientation change. The motion planning was optimized based on the s-curve using the robot’s maximum velocity and acceleration for minimum cycle time and maximum production rate. A software application was developed to simulate the tasks.

Tool accessibility with path and motion planning for robotic drilling and riveting

Robotic applications in aerospace manufacturing and aircraft assembly today are limited. This is because most of the aircraft parts are relatively small or have complex shapes that make tasks like robotic drilling and riveting more challenging. These challenges include tool accessibility, path planning, and motion planning. In this thesis, a process methodology was developed to overcome the tool accessibility challenges facing robotic drilling and riveting for aircraft parts. The tool accessibility was analyzed based on the Global Accessibility Area and the Global Accessibility Volume to determine the accessible boundaries for parts with zero, one and two surfaces curvatures. The path planning was optimized based on the shortest distance, least number of steps, and minimal tool orientation change. The motion planning was optimized based on the s-curve using the robot’s maximum velocity and acceleration for minimum cycle time and maximum production rate. A software application was developed to simulate the tasks.

ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF APPLICATION OF ENERGY STORAGE IN IMPACT MACHINES

The article discusses the possibility of using energy storage devices in the form of pneumatic and mechanical springs for hydraulic percussion machines as part of robotic drilling systems. New design schemes are proposed that allow changing the energy parameters of the machine in accordance with the external operating conditions for the implementation of adaptive technological processes. Simulation modeling of the proposed schemes in the ITI SimulationX software package made it possible to determine the dynamic parameters and study the working cycle of the hydraulic hammer. The analysis of the results obtained showed the possibility of creating these types of machines, taking into account their advantages and disadvantages.

DYNAMICS AND OPERATING CYCLES OF VIBRATORY-PERCUSSIVE SYSTEMS INVOLVED IN IMPLEMENTATION OF ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

The study discusses serviceability of pneumatic and hydraulic percussion machines within robotic drilling systems. The newly designed action charts of percussion machines allow varying flow data of the machines versus properties of the medium being treated, which enables technological adaptability of the machines. Simulation modeling of the operating cycle dynamics in ITI SimulationX made it possible to determine dynamic parameters of vibratory-percussive systems. The research findings prove designability of such machines.

A Variable Parameter Ambient Vibration Control Method Based on Quasi-Zero Stiffness in Robotic Drilling Systems

Vibrations in the aircraft assembly building will affect the precision of the robotic drilling system. A variable stiffness and damping semiactive vibration control mechanism with quasi-zero stiffness characteristics is developed. The quasi-zero stiffness of the mechanism is realized by the parallel connection of four vertically arranged bearing springs and two symmetrical horizontally arranged negative stiffness elements. Firstly, the quasi-zero stiffness parameters of the mechanism at the static equilibrium position are obtained through analysis. Secondly, the harmonic balance method is used to deal with the differential equations of motion. The effects of every parameter on the displacement transmissibility are analyzed, and the variable parameter control strategies are proposed. Finally, the system responses of the passive and semiactive vibration isolation mechanisms to the segmental variable frequency excitations are compared through virtual prototype experiments. The results show that the frequency range of vibration isolation is widened, and the stability of the vibration control system is effectively improved without resonance through the semiactive vibration control method. It is of innovative significance for ambient vibration control in robotic drilling systems.