Following extensive laboratory testing, the research team successfully conducted test welds in the harbor basin. The resulting welds achieved a quality comparable to the laboratory results—an outstanding outcome for the first practical application.
Of particular importance is the data that was collected in this challenging environment, characterized by wave action and high water turbidity. This data is now being analyzed by the partners and will be incorporated into the optimization of the system.
The DFKI Robotics Innovation Center, the TH Köln—Institute for Materials and Process Technology (IMPT) and Laboratory for Autonomous Systems (LAS)—the Fraunhofer IGD, and AMT GmbH are jointly developing and testing a technology designed to enable largely autonomous underwater welding operations in the future.
The goal is to relieve divers of the burden of strenuous and high-risk operations while simultaneously improving the quality and reproducibility of welding work under difficult visibility conditions.
The UWS project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) as part of the DATIpilot innovation community Smartport Transfer (SPorT). The technological foundations were previously developed in the MARIOW (Maritime AI-Guided & Remote Operated Welding) research project, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE).
We look forward to the next steps in development and further testing as we work toward a practical solution for maritime maintenance.