The AQUA CUTTER 410 has been designed for hydrodemolition applications in confined areas. With dimensions of just 2 metres long by 0.78 metres wide and 0.99 metres high, the new robot can go through any ordinary door opening and can also operate inside a concrete pipe and on vertical, horizontal or overhead surfaces.
With a weight of just around 1,000 kg (2,500 pounds) it can also operate from scaffolding.
Working typically with between 700 bar (10k psi) to 2,500 bar (36k psi) pressure and 60 litres a minute (16 gpm) to 180 l/ min (48 gpm), the robot handles most concrete removal tasks on floors, walls and overhead applications.
It will also replace many applications currently performed by using manual hand lances, a high-pressure gun operating at 2,500 bar (36k psi) or more. This results in a safer and more accurate operation.
The 410 robot features a number of tools, including a rotor for surface preparation and work inside pipes and tunnels, a single lance with a 1.5-m (4.9-foot) front shroud for surface removal, and a hydraulically-operated, articulated arm with a reach up to 3 m (9.0 feet).
The tunnel kit also features automatic detection of the distance to the tunnel surface, making it easy to operate in uneven tunnel shapes or oval tunnels.
The Power Control Module (PCM) can be disconnected from the tracked crawler. This allows the crawler to be driven into unfriendly environments, for example, small tunnels suddenly flooded by heavy rains. In this mode, the PCM is connected to the track crawler by a cord and the removal process controlled remotely so that the work can continue without being disrupted by the water.
The operator controls and monitors the operation by a remote radio controller so that the machine can be run from a safe distance with complete control over the robot.
Features of the already field-proven AQUA CUTTER 710 series of robots, such as EDS (Equal Distance System), the ISC (Intelligent Sensing Control) and Smart Lance system, have been updated and integrated into the new 410 robot.
With patented EDS, regardless of the lance attack angle, the system controls and maintains the nozzle distance from the concrete surface. Maintaining an optimum distance ensures that no power is lost due to the nozzle being too far from the surface. This can provide a 15 to 20 percent increase in removal capacity.
The patented ISC is an advanced sensing system. No electronics, such as sensors or cables, are exposed to surrounding moisture. This results in more efficient production with fewer stops due to problems with sensors, etc. Aquajet says that the 410 robot offers the same reliability, versatility, easy maintenance and low operating costs as their 710 robot, and uses many of the same parts.
