Crumbling transportation infrastructure is a serious concern worldwide. In March 2023, FANUC Corp. noted that ROBEL Rail Automation GmbH has developed a system to repair rails and points, or movable track sections, using its industrial robot arms.

"We are seeing high demand from our customers for fully automated, robot-assisted maintenance systems," stated Thomas Weis, head of development at ROBEL Rail Automation. “This is especially true for the time-consuming and complicated repair work of points. Here, rail network operators are increasingly lacking skilled workers such as welders.”

Labor and skills shortages are particularly severe in the transport sector, with hundreds of thousands of miles of tracks to inspect, maintain, and repair just in Europe and North America.

The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law authorized $1.1 trillion in federal spending on transportation, energy, and climate infrastructure modernization projects. Some of those funds could be used to procure systems including railway-repair robots.

ROBEL Rail Automation has been developing ROBOT for automated switch maintenance and ROSPECT for self-propelled detection of rail defects for more than two years.

ROBEL’s system uses two FANUC arms hanging from a special rail car. The robots can detect defects with ultrasound equipment, cameras, and systems for measuring eddy currents, explained the unit of Robel Holding GmbH.

It shares data on needed repairs with customers. The Robel Rail Automation System can then automatically make complex repairs using welding, milling, and grinding processes. FANUC said the sensors and its arms ensure consistent-quality work.

ROBEL showed off its technology during a factory open house in Freilassing, Germany, in September. European transport networks are currently running the prototype systems, which ROBEL said it expects to make commercially available in two to three years.

Explore the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2024.