ROVs

Remotely Operated Vehicles

Forth has worked to develop world-first ROVs to improve working processes across all industries, making project work more efficient and cost effective, and helping keep workers safe.

Our Innovations Include

Our team built a pioneering, remotely controlled Emergency Response Robot capable of withstanding hazardous environments on a 1.6 tonne JCB compact excavator platform and fitted with a specialist robotics system and wireless technology.

The robot is capable of towing a trailer with a fitted hopper that can disperse a bund of sand to contain any type of spillage, and it also has an affixative spraying system attached that is used to assist in the containment of a nuclear spillage.

Other features include a large grapple hook that will be
used to move any obstruction the robot may come across, as well as a specialist 700bar rescue tool to cut through any obstacles.

Forth designed and manufactured the Tipperbot ROV, an adapted power barrow which can be operated from a range of 20 metres, to sieve out solids from wet ‘sludge’ when undertaking nuclear decommissioning work.

Originally created to carry
out work to clear the redundant ponds at Magnox’s Hunterston site, the Tipperbot is placed in dry sumps and picks up the remaining nuclear waste in the former ponds and sieves out solids from the liquid.

In order to provide a remote, safe method of sorting and segregating underwater waste in fuel storage ponds, we replaced the electrical components of a JCB 1 tonne Micro Digger with hydraulic running gear to allow for reliable operations in hazardous environments.

By adapting the traditional Micro Digger by using our engineering excellence, we were able to conceptualise, build, test and deliver the Underwater Micro Digger in a matter of weeks, which provided
the perfect solution for the client, in the first instance Sellafield.

Forth was commissioned by Sellafield, in collaboration with Manchester University, to find a cost-effective way of carrying out various tasks and
providing a clear view of the Magnox Swarf Storage Silos on site.

The Avexis Swimming Robot was dropped into an ullage gap of 1m to enter the water in the silo, and was equipped with bumper bars to allow it to push Swarf which had collected behind the silo furniture.

With the addition of cutting and removal tools, the Avexis was able to remove large amounts of swarf to provide a rapid, and cheaper, solution to the problem.

To reduce, sort and segregate waste and debris in fuel
storage ponds from a safe distance, Forth produced
underwater cropping tool Shark 3.

The device has a rotary cropper head which can move 360 degrees, as well as a high resolution camera and robust underwater lighting to allow the operator to understand the
environment and make clear decisions about the waste
and debris in the nuclear pond.

There are numerous opportunities to include end effectors, such as grabbers, saws and infrared cameras.

Forth is in the process of developing an innovative
autonomous underwater survey robot, Autonomous Aquatic

Inspection and Intervention (A2I2), aimed at saving industries across the world hundreds of millions of pounds each year.

A2I2 is an intelligent, tetherless robot fitted with sonar technology to detect and avoid obstacles underwater, and in hazardous environments such as storage ponds on nuclear sites.

Forth designed and manufactured the Panther Track Robot to be utilised for any solution necessary with the capabilities to adapt to various terrain and change operations being endless.

The robot is adaptable by including various end effectors, and is remotely operated by a control panel. This control panel is watertight, airtight, dustproof, chemical resistant and corrosion proof.

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