CrewMate vehicle shows potential in aiding solar field workers with PV panel installations

CrewMate vehicle shows potential in aiding solar field workers with PV panel installations
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 28, 2024

CrewMate, a semi-autonomous lift-assist vehicle created by Moog Construction, has completed a successful field trial near Niagara Falls, N.Y., showcasing its ability to support solar field workers in installing photovoltaic (PV) panels. Buffalo-based Montante Solar, specializing in the design and construction of solar projects, coordinated this trial with Moog Construction on a solar site located on a former landfill. The site's rugged terrain, with slopes up to 10 percent, provided a solid test for CrewMate's leveling capabilities and its maneuverability alongside human operators.

During the field trial, CrewMate transported multiple pallets loaded with up to 31 large PV panels (each measuring 93.9 by 51.3 inches). Following the workers' lead, the vehicle enabled the crew to lift each 83-pound panel using CrewMate's lift-assist mechanism, positioning it precisely onto the field's racking system. CrewMate's onboard sensors maintained a safe working distance from personnel and surrounding structures, enhancing both safety and operational flow. This debut of CrewMate comes at a time when the demand for solar field infrastructure is increasing, with solar PV installer jobs projected to grow by 22 percent by 2032, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"CrewMate is an innovation we believe can safely increase productivity and help meet the demand for new solar farms and workers," said Steven Erck, vice president of Montante Solar. "The PV panels in this field test are among the largest and heaviest installed by crews; CrewMate took the strain out of installation work that's often done in high temperatures and remote areas."

Aditya Sharma, business development manager for strategic opportunities at Moog Construction, added, "CrewMate is a 'cobot' that enhances how solar workers tackle their job; it increases the work crews can accomplish."

CrewMate proved intuitive for workers, who quickly mastered its gripper for securing and moving panels. The machine not only minimizes the risk of panel damage but also reduces physical strain, potentially lowering injury rates by limiting the manual lifting and moving of PV panels.

"Using CrewMate was super easy; it literally was part of our crew," said an installer involved in the trial. "The machine knows where to go; and when a pallet is empty, you pick up the joystick remote control and steer it to pick up a new load."

Dave Grabau, Moog Construction's business director for Autonomy and Robotics, noted, "CrewMate easily integrates with ConOps. CrewMate also keeps humans in the loop versus a fully robotic solution. A robot, with higher levels of autonomy, requires greater precision especially when you have ground instability and racking to contend with; cobots like CrewMate reduce complexity."

Building on this success, CrewMate is set to participate in a larger pilot project later this fall at a new solar construction site.