Axel, the high-performance unmanned rover developed for inspection of critical environments in the construction industry

Axel,-the protagonist and narrator of the adventure “Journey to the Center of the Earth” written by Jules Verne more than 150 years ago, -is a unique prototype in the world capable of replacing the presence of humans in the exploration of sections of tunnels or galleries that present health hazards to workers, providing full exploration performance and functionality, being able to move with zero emissions in complex environments, with inclines, obstacles and in the presence of water fords.

The Benefits? Through Axel, it is possible to better prepare for the restoration of the environment being worked on, such as washing and air exchange, consolidation of walls, and installation of electrical and air transport systems.

The CIM4.0 National Competence Center, launched in 2019 at the initiative of MISE with the aim of supporting Italian companies in their technological transformation process in line with the Digital Transition Plan, has developed in just 4 months, together with leading industrial partners, an innovative solution that could be described as unique and new in the global panorama.

How was such a short development time possible?

Underlying this was teamwork between the CIM4.0 technicians and the Webuild team in clearly identifying the requirements of the prototype, all supported by expertise in technology transfer from sectors such as automotive and aerospace, proper to the Competence Center ecosystem. We are talking about the Merlo group, with regard to electric work vehicles; Iren with Laser Navigation for expertise in remote exploration techniques; Reply for applications of sensors and digital technologies; and Thales Alenia Space for preparation for exploration in extreme environments.

Added to this are “digital twin” development and rapid prototyping capabilities, including through Additive Manufacturing technology, one of the specific focuses of CIM4.0, remote “smart working” collaboration between labs and workshops during development and tuning, and the availability of a representative test track.
The result is a prototype with unique characteristics because it is made for very severe contexts:

• Remote driving without repeaters up to 2 km distance: vehicle radio-controlled by operator at security station (base station)
• Zero emissions: full electric battery-powered vehicle
• Autonomy over 10km: 23kWh battery pack energy
• Safety: zero lithium batteries, suitable for high temperature environment (no fire risk), low voltage due to presence of abundant water (no electrocution risk)
• Overcoming large obstacles: depressions and slopes (greater than 60%), 20 cm sleepers, fords up to 30 cm deep.
• Environmental monitoring: certified system for collecting environmental data (context images, temperature, humidity, presence of hazardous gases, …)
• Dynamic data collection: a system that can analyze data in real-time and transmit it to the base station
• Resistance to critical environmental conditions: temperatures up to 45 degrees and 80% relative humidity, water dripping, fording, etc.
• Reliability: communication based on automotive-grade CAN protocol, with ECU and power part derived from premium series vehicle