ROBOTIC SURVEY, REPAIR & AGILE MANUFACTURE

Project Information

RESURGAM

Grant agreement ID: 101007005

DOI

10.3030/101007005

Project closed

EC signature date 6 November 2020

Start date 1 February 2021

End date 31 January 2024

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 6 065 208,47

EU contribution

€ 5 012 586,13

Coordinated by

EUROPEAN FEDERATION FOR WELDING JOINING AND CUTTING
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - RESURGAM (ROBOTIC SURVEY, REPAIR & AGILE MANUFACTURE)

Reporting period: 2022-08-01 to 2024-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Project RESURGAM, led by the European Welding Federation, aimed to deliver a decisive break-through with Friction Stir Welding (FSW) as high integrity, low distortion, environmentally benign, welding technique to be developed in steel, in air, to facilitate the modular construction of ships across multiple yards with final assembly at one master yard; underwater, using robotic systems to allow repairs to be carried out on marine structures without needing to bring ships or platforms ashore to a dry dock.
This fabrication and repair capabilities, backed by the secure, digital Industry 4.0 infrastructure and techniques already in widespread use in the automotive and aerospace industries, will facilitate the rapid, coordinated but distributed modular manufacture of ships and watercraft throughout Europe. Practically, this will allow ships damaged anywhere in the world will be able to be repaired in place without the need to travel to the nearest dry dock. European shipyards and Naval Architects will implement all of this in Europe.
The RESURGAM project aims to:
Enable the use of FSW for underwater and under-oil welding of steel.
Deliver a prototype underwater FSW(U-FSW) head capable of robotic deployment: A friction stir welding head will be developed able to deliver the required forces, torques, rotation and travel speeds necessary to weld in the challenging environments posed by a liquid medium, either water or oil-based. This will be designed such that it can be deployed by a robotic system, either underwater for repairs at sea or in a confined space such as a cargo hold or fuel tank.
Deliver AI-enabled robotic UFSW system capable of performing inspection and FSW underwater and in confined spaces.
Deliver in-yard FSW fabrication capability for a modular build, modifications and retrofitting.
Enable better connectivity and collaboration between European value chain stakeholders to drive modular/flexible manufacturing of ships and/or rapid repair, modification and maintenance of ships in the water.
Ensure TRL6 is achieved for AI-enabled robotic system, modular build capability and supporting digital infrastructure.
Development of tailored business models to support the sustainability and commercialisation RESURGAM outputs.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

FSW Process Development (WP1)

Demonstrated production of:
• 60 m of high-quality welds in 6 mm S355 steel
• 30 m of high-quality welds in 12 mm S355 steel
in air and underwater.

Validated robustness of 6 mm and 12 mm tools under underwater thermal shock.
Achieved high-quality lap and butt welds in air and underwater.
Improved understanding of the relationship between welding parameters, microstructures and weld properties, enabling improved optimisation.
Documented route to industrial adoption (incl. ship classification requirements, D1.9).
Supported establishment of an ISO working group for steel FSW.
WP1 objectives fully achieved; FSW validated as an industrially viable process for up to 12 mm steel.

Early progress enabled:
Expanded parameter development (additional grades/thicknesses).
Deeper investigation of defect mechanisms and mitigation.
Earlier data provision to WP3/WP4, enabling faster development of underwater and retrofit systems.

Digital Platform and AI/ML for FSW Monitoring (WP2)

Developed AI/ML algorithms using Acoustic Emission (AE) data for defect identification.
Implemented a combined unsupervised + supervised ML approach, providing reliable anomaly detection.
Delivered a digital platform (alpha → beta) integrating:
• CAD and Digital Twin simulation
• Real-time data visualisation
• Secure industrial communication (Industry 4.0)
• Remote connectivity and control of the FSW robot via TeamViewer API
Built a database for real-time and historical process data.
Completed training activities; content remains available on the project website.

Underwater Robotic FSW System (WP3)
Completed full optioneering for the underwater FSW tool and clamping system (functional analysis, concept generation, PUGH matrix).
Delivered D3.1 (clamping technology selection).
Validated hull cleaning, surveying and 3D reconstruction using University of Limerick’s ROV systems (D3.2).
Delivered underwater repair protocol (D3.3) completed by FORTH after NED’s withdrawal.

Modular Build and Retrofit FSW Head (WP4)
Mapped shipyard capabilities and CNC resources and identified requirements for modular FSW.
Designed, manufactured and successfully tested the prototype FSW head for modular steel outfitting in a shipyard (Istanbul).

Demonstration Activities (WP5)
All three main RESURGAM solutions were successfully demonstrated (D5.1–D5.3):
Digital platform
Modular build solution
Underwater repair solution

Main Results Achieved
Industrial validation of FSW for steel in air and underwater (up to 12 mm).
Advancement of metallurgical understanding of steel FSW and associated defects.
Delivery of a functional digital platform integrating design, simulation, monitoring and control.
Development and validation of the underwater robotic repair concept.
Successful integration of FSW into modular shipbuilding processes.

Exploitation and Dissemination (Final Period)
Developed an initial business plan, stakeholder list and market engagement strategy.
Active collaboration with two other maritime RDI projects to support joint exploitation and synergies.
Post-project dissemination at TRA 2024.
Established project brand, website, social media, and dissemination materials.
Participated in key events:
• 3 × IIW Annual Conferences
• International Congress on Ship and Marine Technology
• Arsenal do Alfeite event
• Navalia exhibition
• RESURGAM seminars in Lisbon, Sheffield, Istanbul, Limassol, and Maryport
Produced:
• Podcast and multiple FSW demonstration videos (>4k views)
• Technical articles and 2 technical booklets
• 6 newsletters, press releases, news items
• Joint activities with sister projects

Project Management: Successfully managed withdrawal of NED-Project and integration of ASTANDER. All deliverables submitted on time; all activities completed as planned. Financial execution remained stable despite rising material/energy costs and supply-chain challenges.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

RESURGAM enables smaller and medium European shipyards to compete in building and maintaining high-tech vessels by providing AI-enabled robotic FSW/underwater FSW and a digital platform for modular fabrication and in-water repair. These technologies give SMEs access to new markets and reduce their dependence on large dry-dock facilities.

Modular construction impacts:
Faster build time and lower overheads.
Standardised modules further reduce costs.
Wider SME participation increases the supplier base and quality.
Overall lower production cost.

Modular maintenance impacts:
Faster repair or replacement of components.
Standard modules are cheaper and quicker to swap.
Reduced yard downtime and faster turnaround.
Increased vessel operational time.

RESURGAM also advances the state of the art in steel FSW, with extensive testing of tools, parameters and underwater conditions, contributing to ongoing ISO/EWF standardisation work. Modular construction was validated across different materials and thicknesses on CNC systems, showing strong applicability for shipyards and beyond. STIRWELD and Element Six continue developing FSW heads, tools and robotic-arm solutions, supporting further exploitation after the project.

Project Logo

Lisbon Seminar Dissemination