System for blast-cleaning a barge bottom

A system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom, supported on blocks in a work building, robotically, the system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom comprising:

• (i) a robotic blasting tractor adapted to move longitudinally along the underside of the barge;
• (ii) a transverse track beam mounted upon said robotic blasting tractor;
• (iii) at least one positioning unit adapted to move along said transverse track beam;
• (iv) at least one blaster head mounted upon a said positioning unit adapted to move with said positioning unit and move relative to said positioning unit;
• (v) a blaster-head sensor mounted upon each said blaster head, adapted to sense the absolute location and attitude of said blaster head, and sense objects in proximity to said blaster head;
• (vi) a robotic controller adapted to receive, interpret, and record data from said blaster-head sensor and control the operation of said robotic blasting tractor with reference to a stored three-dimensional plan of the barge and fittings;
• (vii) an RF antenna mounted upon said robotic controller and said robotic blasting tractor, adapted to facilitate real-time communications;
• where, in use, said positioning unit with said blaster head is moved along said transverse track beam, and said blaster head is moved in relation to said positioning unit, under the control of said robotic controller using real-time data from said blaster-head sensor with reference to the three-dimensional plan such that all unblocked surfaces of the barge bottom are reached with blast media.