Interview: Grabenlos in die Zukunft

From the first robot system to practical exchanges and joint developments in the field of robot technology for trenchless sewer rehabilitation: Pipetronics GmbH & Co. KG and Katec Kanaltechnik Müller & Wahl GmbH have a long and successful partnership. After Pipetronics was founded in 2016, the company delivered its very first robot system to Katec. The twelfth system followed in 2022. Against this backdrop, Katec's managing directors Gerd Müller and Armin Heydt met with Pipetronics' sales manager Martin Cygiel and Steffen Roll, the expert responsible for the large-profile robotics product range, for an exchange of ideas. In this interview, Katec Managing Director Gerd Müller and Martin Cygiel, Sales Manager at Pipetronics, talk about their collaboration, future industry developments, and new technologies in the context of the current shortage of skilled workers.

Technologies in the field of trenchless sewer rehabilitation are developing rapidly. In your opinion, what has been the most impressive change over the last 25 years?

Gerd Müller: During this time, there has been a significant transfer of technology. In the early days of sewer repair, pneumatic milling robots were used. With large compressors, a noise level of over 100 decibels, and relatively low performance, their use in large cities is unthinkable today, if only because of the resulting noise pollution for residents. This quickly led to a shift toward hydraulic drives with powerful motors and high torque. This was also the first stage of development for the milling robots and filling systems that we acquired at Pipetronics in 2016. From then on, a constructive exchange about development began.

Martin Cygiel: Pipetronics has kept pace with developments in modern technology. Probably the most impressive change is the electrification of robots. At first glance, the dark and damp environment in which the robots operate does not seem to be the ideal environment for electronic technology. However, the challenge of designing and developing devices that deliver better performance and higher quality has always been our motivation. Electric milling and filling robots are particularly impressive in inner-city areas thanks to their low noise levels and CO2 emissions. The supply unit is also equipped with a battery that enables autonomous milling throughout an entire working day.

Martin Cygiel: For us as a manufacturer and supplier, material requirements are directly linked to our facilities, which is why long-term planning is essential. Katec's forward-looking approach is advantageous for us. It gives us a certain amount of leeway and is a great help for our own production planning, enabling us to calculate our production forecasts much better and thus ensure a certain degree of price stability. As far as spare parts are concerned, we manufacture most of the parts in-house, but we also rely on supplier parts.

To what extent are robot systems customized solutions? How does Pipetronics deal with specific customer requirements? How important is direct exchange with the user in order to obtain concrete requirements from the market?

Martin Cygiel: Open and practical exchange and honest communication between manufacturers and users such as Katec are extremely valuable for the development of our robot systems. Katec has a wealth of experience thanks to its own technical service for its devices. The Katec workshop manager is therefore in close contact with our Pipetronics service team. This means that specific suggestions for improvement and optimization have come directly from the user side and have been incorporated into our development. The practical experience of companies such as Katec helps us not only to drive further developments forward quickly and efficiently, but also to develop in a meaningful and practice-oriented direction.

Gerd Müller: We deliberately contribute our practical experience on the construction site with the electronic robot systems. For example, based on our input, the robot's cable drum was significantly enlarged to avoid small bending radii of the cables. In addition, improvements were made to the drum guide and modifications were made to the compressed air supply and battery capacities. These optimizations have been incorporated into the development of the Pipetronics filling robots and have been included in the standard development.

In recent years, the framework conditions in the industry have changed – the shortage of skilled workers is a key issue for everyone. Can autonomous work replace human performance and thus create capacity elsewhere?

Gerd Müller: Completely autonomous work will not work in the field of trenchless sewer rehabilitation. We always need skilled workers with specialist knowledge, both on the technical side and in application, to operate the robots. However, developments are moving in the direction of redesigning devices so that they are easier and more efficient to work with and operate, and so that work steps can be combined. The aim is to achieve standardized operation so that not only skilled personnel but also less trained workers can take over the robot control. This will significantly increase the pool of personnel available for such a machine. Essentially, it is about using state-of-the-art technology to relieve the employee as much as possible.

Martin Cygiel: We are continuously working on such solutions with our own specialists, renowned software developers, and academic faculties. This includes, among other things, the autonomous rediscovery of closed side connections after renovation. Many practical approaches are incorporated into the development and are intended to help the operator avoid incorrect milling, which would otherwise cause unnecessary and high costs. However, experienced operators are essential for assessing damage patterns. Technical support is available in the form of virtual reality glasses, which are already in use. The devices are so advanced that, thanks to integrated sensors, they can also provide the operator with feedback on compressed air, humidity, or any maintenance work that may be necessary on the device. Remote maintenance is now also possible. However, the expertise of an experienced operator remains essential here as well.