Worldwide launching of the evolution of a compact and robust ROV

Guest post: Mr Christian Haag, Mariscope Meerestechnik

It may not the best time to introduce a new product into the market, but tech companies can´t afford to stop.

Looking into nowadays underwater technology market, and especially that of robotics, we can find a wide range of products, brands and models. This is a good news, since the buyer has a variety to choose from at his convenience. At the same time, competition encourages product improvement, which is also good.

A little harder to the client is the moment when he has to choose the right model since there are no rules or regulations, and even less comparative data to decide which one is the best product in terms of technical and economic convenience within the market. Many times the cheaper is expensive, especially if the costs of operation, repair and maintenance are not really clear.

Another important point is the battered substantive of Innovation. Lately, in underwater robotics a multitude of equipment have been released, which, in order to draw the attention of potential customers, show striking shapes, but useless from a hydro dynamical and practical point of view. ROVs with exposed thrusters that can get entangled in any element underwater, umbilicals without any tensile strength, etc. Sometimes the marketing departments of the companies are the ones who decide about the design and shape of the equipment and not the engineering departments, and this is called ´function follows form´. This is a well-known concept, for example, in automotive industry.

Mariscope launches a new model to the international market, the MS2, which is an evolution from its successful model MS1. Strictly linked to the motto ´form follows function´, what rules in the case of Mariscope´s robotics is the word of the engineers.

As it happens with all the equipment of the German Company, the maximum robustness, efficiency and quality of the product has been sought, but without losing sight of the production costs and retail price.

As for all technological product, ROVs need a permanent improve in its engineering. This is the reason why Mariscope, in all its models, set goals of permanent evolution that lead to periodical launching of new models.

In this evolutions there are no conceptual changes between a model and his next, but an evolution based on the knowledge and experience acquired in the past. This past, in the case of Mariscope, started 26 years ago, accumulating an important experience as manufacturer.

Keeping this philosophy in mind, the new MS2 has evolved in its propulsion, introducing more compact and efficient thrusters than its predecessor, as well as adding another vertical thruster. A new line of self-made connectors was chosen to improve their quality and avoid the well-known supply problems on the market. The cameras used are Full HD type with live transmission via high-speed Ethernet. 4 High output LED lights, laser pointer, reduced diameter and neutral buoyancy umbilical cable, surface console with industrial computer, highly impact resistant stainless steel tubular frame and many other technical details are part of this evolution.

The shape of the vehicle has been also modified versus that of its antecessor, but keeping focus in the modularity of the equipment, ease of maintenance, robustness and reliability: strictly form follows function.

The efficiency improvement leads to a reduction in the use of all resources and thus a contribution to sustainability and taking care of our environment. We manufacture products to be durable or as we use to say: “Built to Last”, and not with the idea of planned obsolescence. And due to the trust we have in what we manufacture, also this model offers that unique feature in the market that is the limited lifetime warranty that characterizes Mariscope´s products.

Mariscope offers special discounts during the first two months of the launch (June and July of this year).