85%

decrease in inspection labor and resources

8M

UT data readings

70%

decrease in total inspection time

Challenge

  • Ship availability is a major challenge for the U.S. Navy
  • Vessels require continuous monitoring to maintain structural integrity and operational availability due to corrosive environments
  • Traditional visual and manual inspections took more than two weeks to complete with 10 to 20 dedicated workers
  • Manual inspections left pervasive gaps in coverage
  • Once data was collected, it took inspectors two weeks to process and create a report
  • Based on this report, it took 36 man-days to generate a repair plan

Solution

  • Gecko's Cantilever process including:
  • Data: Rapid Ultrasonic Gridding (RUG) inspection using TOKA® series robot
  • Platform: Software modules presenting 2D & 3D corrosion maps and digital twin with color-coded thickness measurements, in-depth analysis, and robust reporting including repair recommendations

Result

  • Inspection time reduced from two weeks to 12 hours
  • Required labor and resources reduced from 10-20 workers to just one robot and two workers 
  • A total of 8 million UT data readings collected for a complete understanding of flight deck health
  • Repair plan was generated in minutes, a process that used to take 36 man-days
  • Targeted repairs were made which reduced maintenance time, costs, and resources
  • The Navy’s workforce could be reallocated to mission-critical activities
  • The destroyer’s maintenance cycle was completed on time, restoring the ship to fully operational status

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