U.S. Anduril Introduces Robotic Inspection Technology for Submarine Component Manufacturing

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 8, U.S.-based Gecko Robotics announced a partnership with Anduril Industries to introduce robotic non-destructive testing, AI-powered analytics software, and automated quality assurance technology into the submarine component manufacturing process. The related systems have begun integration at Anduril's prototype manufacturing facility in Orange County, California, which covers a building area of approximately 14,900 square meters, and are planned for application at the Arsenal-2 shipyard in Baltimore County, Maryland, serving Virginia-class submarine component production.

Anduril's prototype manufacturing facility in Orange County undertakes the manufacturing of critical submarine components and production process validation tasks. Gecko Robotics will deploy robotic non-destructive testing technology at the facility and integrate it with Anduril's ArsenalOS digital manufacturing software. The two parties plan to incorporate inspection data directly into the production quality control process and establish data records corresponding to submarine component manufacturing documentation.

Gecko Robotics' robotic inspection equipment can perform non-destructive testing on newly manufactured submarine components, including internal weld structure and material defect inspections. Inspection results will be processed through AI software to create data records of the components' actual manufacturing state, which will accompany the components through subsequent assembly and service cycles, providing foundational data for maintenance planning and quality traceability.

Previously published project data from Gecko Robotics shows that when its technology was applied to forged component inspection for other defense industry customers, it reduced inspection cycles by up to 90%. The company also stated that with software and robot-assisted operations, personnel without non-destructive testing experience can participate in related work after as little as approximately 1 hour of training. The above data comes from existing projects and does not represent inspection efficiency already achieved on this Anduril production line.

This collaboration will also serve the Arsenal-2 shipyard that Anduril plans to build. The project, announced on October 6, plans for Anduril to invest $3.7 billion to build a new submarine component manufacturing facility in Baltimore County, Maryland. The U.S. Navy has separately awarded Anduril a production contract worth up to $2.9 billion, with contract payments tied to actual production outcomes.

The planned Arsenal-2 facility has a floor area exceeding 2 million square feet (approximately 185,800 square meters) and will primarily manufacture critical components for Virginia-class submarines. Anduril plans to apply the non-destructive testing processes, quality control methods, and ArsenalOS software integration solutions developed at the California prototype facility to this shipyard. Gecko Robotics' inspection systems will become an integral part of the related manufacturing processes.

Bill Noderer, head of Anduril's maritime manufacturing business, confirmed that the company is embedding Gecko Robotics' non-destructive testing technology into the actual production processes at the Orange County facility and deeply integrating it with ArsenalOS.