L R AS Published on Monday 1 May 2023 - n° 443 - Categories:panels
Other mechanisation system
US-based Built Robotics claims that its RPD 35 autonomous robotic pile-driving system is three to five times faster than manual pile-driving rigs. This fully autonomous pile-driving robot integrates data
It can deploy large-scale solar foundations up to five times faster than standard installation methods. It can deploy large-scale solar foundations up to five times faster than standard installation methods. It can install about 300 piles per day with a two-person crew, a significant improvement in efficiency over the 100 units typically installed per day by a conventional crew.
The RPD 35 adds four components to a standard excavator, which work together to facilitate the self-piling process. Steel arms extend from both sides of the excavator and support two baskets that collectively hold nearly 200 piles. A custom-designed hammer at the end of the excavator arm drives the piles into the ground, striking them up to 500 times per minute with a force of 4,000 pounds per foot. On average, the unit can place a single pile in 73 seconds.
PV Magazine of 27 April 2023
Editor's note: This is the fourth or fifth machine (cf. Sarcos, Mortenson, AES Corp, ...) designed to mechanise solar panel installations announced in recent months. This means that the Americans are paying attention to automating installations and reducing costs.
It is not because equipment is presented that it will be successful, because the ergonomics of the machine must be adapted, and the inventor must also know how to sell his equipment...
That said, there is a trend towards mechanisation in the installation. It is starting and will become more widespread
