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VEC Case Study - Sellafield
Case study on the Sellafield partnership with the VEC.
What is it about?
The Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC) at the University of Liverpool worked with Sellafield Ltd and the Office for Nuclear Regulation, to co-develop a mixed reality simulator to help train and certify Sellafield operatives on equipment that wasn’t yet on site in preparation for a task in development.
Recognised for its ongoing commitment to innovation, Sellafield is the first organisation in the nuclear industry to commission the ground-breaking new technology as part of its adoption of digital innovation frameworks and training plan.
The new tool is designed to provide engineers with Sellafield training and refresher training in a mixed reality environment without the need for the physical crane to work on. Sellafield operators will be the first in the industry to experience this cutting-edge technology.
Why is it important?
The Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria, UK – where the new waste removal crane installation is situated – is one of Sellafield’s most hazardous processes and each operator must be highly skilled and accurate in the process before operators can carry this out in the real-life environment for nuclear waste removal.
Using a range of digital technologies, operators will be immersed in the process, using sight, sound and touch using the actual chair, control joystick and force that would be needed to carry the process in a mixed reality setting, without the risks associated doing this in a real-life environment, reducing exposure, costs and increasing safety to the operators.
VEC support meant Sellafield could: • Train their operatives before they work on new equipment • Allow their operators to experience an identical replica of the crane environment and spatial controlling system • Help workers to re-familiarise themselves with equipment after a period of absence • Help workers to increase their confidence carrying out this process
Perspectives
The unique sandpit collaboration platform that we provide allowed experts from the VEC, Sellafield and the Office for Nuclear Regulation to come together to discuss best practices on process, regulation and digital whilst the project was still in the development phase. It was great to see the project recognised at the NDA Safety & Technology Innovation awards 2019.
Lynn
Dwyer
University of Liverpool
