SwRI launches REPAIR consortium to advance industrial maintenance automation

September 10, 2026 — A new consortium led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) will develop robotic technologies to improve the safety, efficiency and quality of inspection and maintenance tasks in the energy, petrochemical and shipbuilding sectors.

The Robotic Engineering for Paint and Industrial Renewal (REPAIR) consortium focuses on accelerating the development of advanced technologies to identify and remove corrosion and apply protective coatings using robotics. Maintaining surfaces on petrochemical plants, offshore rigs and ships is an ongoing challenge, particularly in coastal areas where equipment operates in salt sprays under high pressures and temperatures.

“Offshore operators have a critical need for technologies that can perform difficult surface maintenance tasks in and around complex structures, often under extreme conditions,” said Dr. Eddie Tunstel, director of SwRI’s Robotics Department. “REPAIR provides precompetitive research to scale the development of robotic hardware and software centered around corrosion detection and surface maintenance, which includes corrosion remediation and coatings.”

SwRI, a leading facilitator of research and development consortia, will manage the REPAIR consortium, providing multidisciplinary technical expertise, research facilities, meeting spaces and logistical support. REPAIR members will participate in the development of technologies and capabilities while directing research focus topics.

“We are thrilled to launch REPAIR with strong industry engagement from global leaders, research institutions and service providers,” said Dr. Steven Dellenback, vice president of SwRI’s Intelligent Systems Division. “Together, we will complement existing industry efforts and deliver pioneering robotic solutions for surface maintenance tasks across key industrial sectors."

REPAIR leverages SwRI's decades of expertise in manufacturing robotics, mechanical engineering and oil and gas services. Recent SwRI robotics projects include a 50-foot-tall robot designed to remove paint from aircraft with a 20kW laser, a robotic system that inspects vessels that store chemical and radioactive waste and various shipbuilding applications. Additionally, SwRI offers expertise in corrosion science and materials engineering, key topics of interest to REPAIR’s members.

“REPAIR builds on the excellent work already underway within the industry and research community,” said Paul Evans, an executive director in SwRI’s Intelligent Systems Division. “We look forward to collaborating with the members and other organizations to drive progress and deliver impactful solutions to asset owners, service providers and technology companies.”

The initial focus will be on offshore oil and gas rig maintenance with an emphasis on fabric maintenance and asset integrity in harsh marine environments.

“Our strategy is to build on this foundation and leverage the technologies, methods and standards developed for offshore rigs to expand into energy infrastructure, petrochemical production facilities and ship systems,” Evans said.

The consortium is now accepting new members to shape projects and contribute to this groundbreaking initiative. Members will have the opportunity to collaborate with other industry leaders, gain access to key insights and data, and play an active role in defining the future of robotic engineering for industrial renewal.

SwRI supports several research consortia, including the ROS-Industrial Consortium Americas, the curator of open-source industrial robotics software repositories. SwRI’s Intelligent Systems Division is a leader in development of robotics, automation, software, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and systems engineering solutions.

For more information, visit https://repair.swri.org or contact Robert Crowe, +1 210 522 4630, Communications Department, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238-5166.

Jessica Martinez Wed, 09/09/2026 - 14:02

Southwest Research Institute

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