TECH

Ford factory uses camera on drones for inspection

The use of drones, a newly adopted innovation at the Ford plant in Dagenham, England, is helping to carry out an arduous task in only one tenth of the time it would normally take, and without the risks to work at great heights. This is because employees began using cameras installed in these equipment to inspect machines and installations in the highest areas of the unit in complete safety.Previously, this important maintenance work was done using automated platforms and scaffolding to check porches 40 meters long that support the heavy machinery of the factory. Inspection of each area took 12 hours and with the new method the maintenance team can check each sector in just 12 minutes. All production facilities can be covered in one day, including hard-to-reach locations to ensure they are well maintained and meet stringent safety standards."We were joking about having a robot to do that job. We had to climb up to 50 meters high to make the necessary checks on the roof and equipment. Now we can do this in a lot less time and risk, "said Pat Manning, machining manager at Ford's engine plant in Dagenham.With the gain of time, the team can perform more frequent inspections, without having to close the facilities to mount the scaffolding that were previously necessary. Ford drones are also prepared to work on piping checks, locating air leaks and checking machines. The company is evaluating the possibility of using this high-performance technology in other regions.



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