Oil & Gas

Automation Solutions for the Oil & Gas Industry

Oil and gas, steam, nuclear, hydroelectric and wind power generation systems require parts machined with incredible precision and durability that can survive in unpredictable, hostile environments on land or at sea. Robots for oil and energy exploration are engineered to perform reliably under the most extreme conditions, minimizing downtime and maximizing output.

Manufacturing in the oil and gas industry is characterized by several challenges:

• Difficult Materials: Parts are often machined from superalloys and other difficult-to-cut materials.
• Exceptional Size: Workpieces are typically oversized, requiring high-payload handling and large machining envelopes.
• Zero-Scrap Tolerance: The extremely high cost of raw materials and complex workpieces means there is virtually no room for error or scrap. Rework is also highly undesirable as it could compromise the material's integrity or introduce a point of weakness, especially for components that are difficult to access once installed in the field.

FANUC controls simplify large part setup by compensating part programs to actual part orientations on machines and high-performance machining reduces cycle times, especially when large volumes of material must be removed. The art-to-part workflow is simplified with flexible 5-axis features. Part accuracy is assured by maximizing static and dynamic precision.

High-Integrity Arc Welding

Automating welding processes ensures consistent, defect-free, high-quality seams. This is essential for pressure vessels, pipelines and structural components that operate under extreme stress and in corrosive environments.

Precision Assembly

Robots are ideal for the repeatable, accurate assembly of complex valves, pumps, drilling components and subsea equipment. This automation minimizes the risk of human error and maximizes throughput, ensuring every assembly meets the strictest tolerances.

Accurate Dispensing and Sealing

The precise application of sealants, adhesives, and protective coatings is a non-negotiable step for preventing leaks and catastrophic corrosion in critical, high-pressure equipment. FANUC robots provide unparalleled consistency in fluid dispensing.

Reliable Machine Tending

FANUC's high-payload and long-reach robots for oil and gas are specifically designed for loading and unloading the massive, complex parts common to this industry. This critical automation increases machine utilization and reduces strenuous, often dangerous, manual labor.

Efficient Material Removal

Automated processes such as grinding, deburring and deflashing are vital for achieving a perfect finish and adherence to strict dimensional tolerances on rough-cut castings and forgings.

Safe Part Transfer

Utilizing heavy-duty, high-payload robots for the safe and rapid transfer of large, heavy workpieces throughout the manufacturing process, from raw stock to finished component. This dramatically improves worker safety and process flow.

Inspection and Quality Assurance

Integrating advanced 2D/3D vision and sensor technology enables robots to perform non-contact dimensional inspection and defect detection, ensuring 100% quality compliance before components are deployed.