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    Robotic Tasks for Transport and Handling

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    Robotics WP Meeting with Transport & Handling (Damien Lafarge)

    Purpose: Discuss Transport & Handling requirements, opportunities, and interfaces for robotics within the FCC facility, focusing on installation, transport, handling, and future operations.

    Meeting Overview

    Damien provided an overview of Transport & Handling activities across FCC and identified areas where robotics and automation could provide value. The primary motivation is not purely cost reduction, but improving safety, reducing operator fatigue, minimizing repetitive-task errors, and increasing operational reliability.

    Scale of planned transport activities is significant, with approximately:

    • ~13,000 truck deliveries
    • ~10,000 to 20,000 supports to install
    • ~11,500 dipole magnets
    • ~7,000 to 8,000 girders and related infrastructure

    Key Discussion Points

    1. Installation Phase Robotics Opportunities

    Damien emphasized that many of the most promising robotic applications are associated with installation rather than transport itself.

    Installation workflow

    The baseline method for placement of beamline infrastructure is:

    • MANTA trailer transport system
    • Dedicated trailers for different equipment types
    • Hydraulic systems used for final positioning

    Candidate robotic tasks

    Potential automation opportunities identified:

    • Drilling holes
    • Cable pulling
    • Installing supports
    • Surveying and measurement for installation
    • Pipe installation
    • Orbital welding
    • Alignment and fiducialisation support

    Damien suggested engaging additional stakeholders:

    • EL (Electrical)
    • CV (Cooling & Ventilation)
    • Survey/Geodesy teams

    These groups are expected to provide additional installation-related robotic requirements.

    Key driver

    The main justification for automation is:

    • Reduction of repetitive manual work
    • Reduction of human error
    • Reduction of operational risk

    Examples cited:

    • Long-duration repetitive driving tasks
    • Repeated handling procedures
    • Attention loss during monotonous operations

    2. Transport Automation Opportunities

    Automated transfer from surface to underground

    Damien identified a possible automation gap between:

    1. Equipment arriving by truck.
    2. Transfer to the shaft.
    3. Lowering equipment underground.
    4. Handover to underground transport systems.

    Potential concept:

    • Equipment arrives at known positions.
    • Automated systems identify and pick loads.
    • Semi-automated crane lowering.
    • Automated hand-off to underground transport vehicles.

    Challenges

    Primary challenge is the lack of standardisation:

    • Equipment varies significantly in:
      • Shape
      • Dimensions
      • Handling procedures
      • Attachment interfaces

    This variability makes full automation difficult compared to highly repetitive industrial environments.

    3. Modular Autonomous Vehicle Concept

    Damien presented his current vision for personnel and logistics transport.

    Core concept

    A common autonomous platform that can accept different modules:

    • Personnel cabin
    • Cargo bins
    • Emergency stretcher module
    • Firefighter support module
    • Logistics modules

    Similar in philosophy to autonomous logistics platforms used in Amazon warehouses.

    Associated automation opportunities

    • Automated storage systems
    • Automatic module selection
    • Automatic attachment of modules to platforms
    • Fleet management software

    Example workflow:

    A user requests a vehicle, and an automated system assembles:

    • Base platform
    • Requested payload module

    before dispatch.

    4. Software and Controls Requirements

    An important discussion centred around software architecture.

    Needs identified

    Damien highlighted a lack of defined interfaces between:

    • Autonomous vehicles
    • Higher-level FCC control systems
    • Other robotic systems

    Areas requiring definition:

    • Vehicle communication interfaces
    • API layers
    • Supervisory control systems
    • Vehicle-to-vehicle communication
    • Safety communications

    Robotics contribution

    Potential robotics support includes:

    • Navigation
    • Localization
    • Obstacle avoidance
    • Fleet coordination
    • Software frameworks
    • Control architecture

    Open question

    The responsibility split between:

    • Robotics
    • Controls groups
    • Vehicle suppliers

    still needs clarification.

    5. Build vs Buy Discussion

    A significant discussion focused on whether FCC should:

    Option A

    Purchase commercial autonomous mobile robots (AMRs)

    Advantages:

    • Commercial maturity
    • Proven reliability
    • Large deployment history
    • Lower development effort

    Disadvantages:

    • Vendor lock-in
    • Limited software access
    • Long-term maintainability concerns

    Option B

    Use CERN-developed robotics software stack

    Advantages:

    • Flexibility
    • Full control over interfaces
    • Easier future modifications
    • Independence from vendors

     

    Damien noted that the existence of CERN-developed mobile robotics solutions changes the assessment.

    No decision was taken and cannot be taken in the immediate future.

    6. German Research Collaboration

    Damien has recently secured German funding related to autonomous vehicle studies.

    Planned workshops

    18 September

    • Gather user requirements
    • Identify operational mobility needs
    • Capture construction-phase requirements

    25 September

    • Focus on evacuation scenarios
    • Input from HSE
    • Emergency response requirements
    • Fire and safety scenarios

    29-30 September

    • Workshop with German research institutes
    • Review FCC requirements
    • Discuss possible solutions
    • Develop cost estimates

    Deliverable target

    A real-scale demonstrator/prototype is targeted for:

    September 2027

    Expected focus:

    • Platform mechanics
    • Electrical systems
    • Battery systems

    Potentially leaving software and autonomy layers open for CERN contributions.

    7. Requirement Prioritisation

    Damien stressed that robotics becomes attractive when tasks are:

    • Highly repetitive
    • High volume
    • Safety critical

    Current challenge:

    Many handling tasks occur only:

    • 10 times
    • 100 times

    which may not justify dedicated robotic solutions.

    8. Decommissioning Phase

    Robotics is expected to become significantly more important during decommissioning.

    Potential tasks include:

    • Cutting radioactive welds
    • Pipe removal
    • Magnet disassembly
    • Dust control during cutting operations
    • Remote handling in activated environments

    However, requirements remain immature because installation concepts are not yet fully defined.

    9. Logistics Data and Simulation Support

    Damien offered support for future cost-benefit analysis.

    Available inputs include:

    • Material flow data
    • Support installation rates
    • Equipment delivery rates
    • Screw and hardware logistics

    Simulation capability

    Transport & Handling uses Siemens Plant Simulation.

    Potential use:

    • Discrete-event logistics simulation
    • Robot fleet sizing
    • Throughput analysis
    • Installation logistics optimisation
    • Cost-benefit studies

    The group currently has limited free licenses available.

    10. Tunnel Volume and SES Constraints

    Discussion focused on possible sharing of reserved tunnel volumes.

    Initial proposal

    Damien suggested maintenance robots and transport systems may be able to share certain spatial envelopes because:

    • They are generally not present simultaneously.

    Concern raised

    Robotics highlighted that:

    • SES (Safety/Emergency System) robots require guaranteed passage.
    • SES pathways must remain available at all times.

    Outcome:

    • SES volume must remain protected.
    • Further integration studies are needed to identify opportunities for shared volume outside SES requirements.

    11. Installation vs Operations Constraints

    An important clarification was made.

    Installation constraints

    Current transport envelope studies are:

    • Preliminary
    • Self-generated estimates
    • Not fully integrated

    Operations constraints

    Operational dimensions remain the baseline reference for robotics.

    Potential conflicts identified today may disappear once:

    • Detailed schedules exist
    • Installation sequencing is defined
    • Robot installation timelines are known

    12. Service Cavern Access and Robot Parking

    Discussion covered access from the arc into service caverns.

    Current preference

    Proposal 2 for the new access tunnels remains the most likely civil engineering baseline.

    Robot parking constraints

    Damien indicated:

    • Ceiling-mounted rails appear feasible in the first ~20 m of service caverns.
    • More detailed integration studies are required deeper inside the cavern.

    Fire considerations

    Potential issues include:

    • Battery charging areas
    • Vehicle parking zones
    • Fire compartments
    • Accessibility for maintenance

    Open question:

    Whether robot parking, charging and transport vehicle charging can share protected areas.

    13. Expanded Section / Beam Dump Area

    This area remains poorly defined from an integration perspective.

    Potential uses for robotics include:

    • Alignment
    • Survey activities
    • Calibration
    • Infrastructure monitoring

    Damien suggested an alternative parking/storage location:

    • Tunnel widening region beyond the beam dump area

    Benefits:

    • More available volume
    • Reduced conflicts with cranes and transport systems

    14. Material Handling Around Shafts

    A gap was identified between:

    • Shaft delivery operations
    • Storage areas
    • Underground transportation

    Potential robotic task:

    An autonomous platform capable of transporting magnets or other equipment between:

    1. Shaft unloading area
    2. Storage area
    3. Transport vehicle interface

    Potential value:

    • Reduced collision risks
    • Increased logistics efficiency

    Discussion Notes

    Key themes

    • Installation phase robotics may provide greater value than originally expected.
    • Software architecture and interfaces are currently less mature than mechanical concepts.
    • Vehicle autonomy and fleet coordination are major future requirements.
    • SES access must remain protected when considering shared tunnel volumes.
    • Material-flow data and simulation tools are available to support robotics cost-benefit analyses.
    • German-funded mobility studies may provide a useful platform for future robotics collaboration.

    Action Items

    Robotics Team

    1. Add identified installation tasks to the robotics requirements database and send Damien a draft summary of captured requirements for review:

    • Drilling
    • Cable pulling
    • Survey/measurement
    • Pipe installation / Orbital welding

     

    2. Contact: EL, CV, Survey groups for additional installation requirements.

    3. Provide Damien with:

    • SES reserved volume
    • Cross-sections
    • 3D models where available

     

    Damien / Transport & Handling

    1. Share:

    • Service cavern / beam dump area 3D models and PLM references where available

     

    2. Send invitations for:

    • 18 September workshop
    • 25 September workshop

     

    3. Ensure SES volume is included in future integration reviews.

    4. Provide updated transport and logistics requirements as they mature.

    Main Requirements Identified for Robotics

    High Priority

    • Automated drilling
    • Automated cable pulling
    • Automated support installation
    • Survey and positioning systems
    • Pipe installation and welding
    • Autonomous transport platforms
    • Vehicle control and fleet management software
    • Navigation and localisation framework
    • Interfaces between robotic systems and FCC control infrastructure

    Medium Priority

    • Automated shaft-to-storage handling
    • Automated storage systems
    • Modular transport vehicle docking
    • Service cavern logistics support

    Future / Decommissioning

    • Remote weld cutting
    • Activated material handling
    • Dust-controlled cutting operations
    • Fully remote dismantling activities

    Overall Conclusion

    Transport & Handling sees significant potential for robotics during FCC installation, particularly for repetitive infrastructure deployment tasks. While autonomous transport remains an important long-term objective, Damien considers installation automation, software integration, fleet management, and risk reduction to be the most immediate areas where the Robotics WP can provide value. Significant work remains to define software interfaces, operational concepts, and ownership boundaries between robotics, controls, infrastructure, and industrial suppliers.

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