Sideload Entry & Recovery System - Proprietary Design

Applied Impact Robotics - Engineering Intern - Summer 2025

Purpose

The robot enters and exits a crude oil tank via a side entry (also referred to as a “shell manway,” often used for side entry mixers). The greatest issue with this is the approximately 2 ft. gap between the bottom of the entry hole and the tank floor. Since crude oil and especially the “sludge” at the bottom of the tank have a high viscosity, entering the tank and falling hard isn’t an issue for the robot; however, finding its way back to the entry is. This issue is made even more complex by the possibility of the robot losing all power and hence maneuverability. So, a system to recover the robot under these conditions needed to be devised.

Initial Research

The sideload E&R system was originally tasked to all the interns. We came up with a bunch of ideas, researched them, compiled their characteristics (mechanisms, materials, cost) and presented it to company leadership to receive feedback and direction. Often, the simple solution is the best, but it became clear early on that any of the traditional/simple ideas that we’d thought of would not work. The lead engineers shared this sentiment, and so we decided to move onto subscale modeling for one of our more creative designs.

Rapid Evolution

After about a week of us working on the model between our other projects, I was assigned to keep working on the concept by myself. Over the next few weeks, the design had changed drastically but retained the benefits of the original, wackier concept. I had modeled and 3D-printed 30+ components, throughout subscale prototyping, identifying key issues. This may sound obvious, but some of the problems I encountered were ones that I would have never considered had I not seen it and felt it in subscale. I’ve had similar experiences in other projects, but not to the same degree, and certainly not the same frequency. The rapid iterations were definitely my favorite part of both the project and the internship, and it made me realize that I love the innovation and R&D aspect of engineering.

Results

After spending a little under a month on the sideload E&R, I reached my stopping point. Unfortunately, the internship was ending; however, the design had been fleshed out and major obstacles had been identified (and addressed). It was my first experience in R&D in a professional environment, and it solidified my interest in pursuing it in industry. I learned a lot about the design process, which questions to ask, not to jump into CAD before arts-and-crafting, and to just keep making iterative improvements. When I presented my design and its associated findings, company leadership liked it an told me that following the conclusion of my internship, they would move forward with the design. Out of everything I did, it was definitely the project I was most proud of and learned the most doing.