Automated stores

Project

SNM automated stores, safer store working.

Benefits

An automated packaging system minimises operator exposure and enhances operator safety by reducing manual handling, increases package throughput and decreases the likelihood of package damage.

This project has also provided valuable insights into project execution methodologies. By delivering the project through our innovation team rather than following traditional project procedures, we achieved a total running cost estimated at £3–5 million, compared to the likely expense of £20–50 million for a project of similar scale under traditional processes.

Current Status

The project is now entering the final stages of development focusing on developing an integrated system that encompasses the tooling and control to the main robotic platform.

Delivery Partners

KUKA, NNL.

The SNM value stream at Sellafield Ltd is responsible for overseeing the safe and secure storage of special material in the facility. In line with our current remediation mission, packages in these SNM repositories are being moved to the SPRS for longer-term, safe storage. The existing method of package exportation relies heavily on manual intervention, including working at heights and performing labour-intensive tasks to handle the hazardous materials. This process, consisting of thousands of operations, presents potential injury and radiation exposure risks to operators, and increased likelihood of damage to packages. As a result, a project was established to investigate automated robotics as a solution for replacing manual operations, with the goal of reducing risks, enhancing safety and improving efficiency in package handling.

Through collaboration with the NNL, the SNM innovation team was able to design and demonstrate an effective automated system tailored to address the identified challenges in the SNM store. The system, based on a commercially available KUKA mobile platform with an integrated KUKA arm, was able to navigate the store independently and utilise extraction, shielding removal, manipulation and inspection capabilities to facilitate a safe, streamlined package handling process into SAFKEG containers.

The outcome of the project was a global first in nuclear sites, a system that demonstrated a feasible method for exporting packages without human intervention. Upon deployment within the SNM value stream, this innovation promises a notable decrease in operator exposure, enhanced safety through reduced manual handling, increased package processing capacity and minimised risks of damage and contamination. This outcome can also help with shaping future storage strategies and potentially sets the stage for safer and more efficient operations, yielding substantial savings for taxpayers and fostering a cleaner working environment for future personnel.

Contact

Chris Ballard – innovation.team@sellafieldsites.com