Synthotech’s STASS robot proving capable as field trials get more demanding.
The System Two Assess & Seal Solution (STASS) project is a robotic crawler platform that is designed to assess the condition of joints in cast iron mains gas pipes, and to spray sealant fluid into the joint as a leak prevention technique. The STASS project is a Network Innovation Allowance (NIA) funded innovation project for Northern Gas Networks (NGN) and brings together a combination of three gas network approved technologies; ALH ‘Bond & Bolt’ access system, Synthotech’s Synthotrax™ robotic platform, and ALH Flexspray sealant.
The STASS project is currently undergoing a gruelling field trial regime after the success of the first field trial back in November, where the STASS robot accessed 10m of pipe and sprayed 3 joints in a single direction. The second and third field trials saw the STASS robot reliably access 27m and spray 9 joints in a single direction, despite large debris deposited in the pipe, and achieving this in a record time of 4 minutes per joint.
From here on, the field trial requirements get more demanding, with the upcoming field trials really pushing the distance and joint capability of the robot.
Above shows the footage from the robotic crawler
