A Coating and Lining Application Quandary: Man versus Machine?

Abstract From external steel structures to internal confined spaces in tanks, ship hulls, vessels and pipes, enhanced corrosion protection of owner’s assets has been achieved because of transformative technical and practical changes in the application of coatings and linings by specialty robots. This paper considers several decades of brush, roller, and spray coating applications and compares aspects of coating steel from “old and sometimes archaic ways with human endeavor,” versus “new ways with robotic technology.” With safety being of paramount importance, examples are discussed where automation and robotic technology remove human applicators from harm’s way and allow them instead to operate robots with multifaceted capabilities. Data will be presented to show how remotely controlled robots facilitate surface preparation, coating application. Case histories compare the application of a solvent free epoxy lining in a railcar either by human operators or by specialized robots.