Credit: DLR (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)
In the project FuTaMa (Fuel Tank Maintenance), the ‘Eeloscope’, a novel, endoscopic robot system for inspecting an aircraft tank filled with kerosene, is being developed. Currently, mechanics perform the safety-relevant inspection tasks inside the tank in a confined space, in a dark environment and under toxic residual fumes. The physical, cognitive and psychological stresses involved are to be avoided and the mechanics are to be supported.
Based on a problem and process analysis, various solution ideas were derived, from which a bionic-inspired approach was designed. Here, an explosion-proof robot system is inserted into the tank in a minimally invasive way and moves through the individual tank chambers. The body of the Eeloscope does not need any electrical actuators. This in-situ exploration makes it possible to monitor the condition in much greater detail and on a more regular basis, without the need for prior draining and time-consuming preparation. Furthermore, the recorded inspection data is retrieved via a Digital Twin and examined by humans outside the tank through VR goggles. The resulting interdisciplinary potentials enable predictive maintenance concepts and avoid unplanned repair events.
During internal innovation sprints, the general technical feasibility of the concept was tested with an initial prototype in a water basin in the second half of 2020.
Credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0)