With labor shortages made worse by the global pandemic, maximizing efficiency is more important than ever. Any manual task that can be mechanized is a step toward improved productivity, and most likely, improved health and safety for workers, too. That’s where Brokk comes in. Built to beat the heat, a demolition robot can handle a variety of metal processing tasks to free up workers’ time and reallocate it to other tasks for greater overall productivity.
Routine maintenance, for example, can be sped up using robotic demolition equipment instead of more manual methods — as much as 75% faster in some situations. From everyday tasks such as refractory removal and ladle cleaning to larger projects like furnace tear outs, facilities around the globe have found adding a demolition robot to their maintenance fleet not only increases maintenance efficiency, it also reduces crew requirements.
Other tasks Brokk robots can take on include:
Scaling Refractory Lining:
One foundry was able to significantly reduce time and crew size for scaling refractory lining from the wall of its holding furnace. This routine maintenance task usually took three to five days to complete using 10 laborers, split into two crews and working in 10-hour shifts. By adding a demolition robot, just two workers could complete the job in a single 10-hour shift. This resulted in a 92% reduction in labor costs.
Ladle and Cupola Cleaning:
Other processing facilities have seen significant gains on ladle and cupola cleaning tasks. One facility was able reduce the time it took to remove refractory on its iron pouring ladles from eight hours to just two, while reducing crew size for the task from two to a single operator with a demolition robot.
Another facility saw cold cleaning times reduced from four hours to just one, while hot cleaning could be done 50% faster. For a Wisconsin foundry, demolition robots reduced cupola spout cleanout to a nine-hour process using a crew of two. Before, this task required a crew of four to use 30-pound jackhammers for 16 hours each.
Furnace Tear-Out:
In addition to frequent maintenance tasks, demolition robots can provide speed and efficiency for larger projects. An aluminum facility in Alabama was able to complete furnace tear-out in just three and a half hours with a demolition robot. Previously, this task took five workers three days. Work had to be done by hand since they were unable to access the furnace with heavy equipment.
Induction Furnace Cleaning:
Demolition robots have proven useful in induction furnace cleaning where precision is of the utmost importance. Traditionally, removal is done by hand with pneumatic devices to avoid damaging the induction coils. However, compact demolition robots can provide the power and precision to do the job, allowing workers to remain outside the furnace and away from extreme temperatures.
With labor shortages and other persistent challenges, facilities around the world are turning to demolition robots to complete tasks faster with smaller crews. A demolition robot is an investment, but one that will pay for itself quickly and many times over in productivity and safety gains. Contact a sales representative to discuss how Brokk can help you.
