The award-winning subsea training and testing facility, The Underwater Centre, has added the FMC Schilling Titan 4 syllabus to its current remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) training suite.

The course familiarises candidates with all major components of the Titan T4 manipulator and provides system operation and routine maintenance procedures. The Centre has adapted the course to offer extensive operational practice through specific activities designed to give candidates familiarity with the manipulator in use.

There will be multiple deliveries of the course throughout the year and it is included in the Centre’s seven-week Premium ROV Course. The two day course will be integrated into the ROV Tooling module and offered as a stand-alone option as well.

The FMC Schilling Manipulator was donated to the Centre by Fugro and upgraded by FMC Schilling Robotics from a Titan 3 to a Titan 4. The Titan 4 represents the industry standard for position controlled manipulator operations used in work class ROV applications.

The development of this manipulator has featured extensively in the advancement in remote technology applications, in the harshest of marine environments, and deserves its reputation as the proven system of choice for all major ROV operators and their clients alike. This training provides a vital addition to the skill-set of any ROV pilot technician.

Steven Cullen, The Underwater Centre’s ROV operations manager, said: "I believe this is a fantastic opportunity for The Underwater Centre to extend our training provision to include state-of-the-art manipulator training, sanctioned and approved by the industry’s leading manufacturer, FMC Schilling Robotics.

"What it means for industry is that there is now a second option for ROV personnel to train on the T4, in accordance with the official syllabus from FMC Schilling Robotics. The Underwater Centre is ideally placed to extend the workshop training to encompass real-world operational experience.

"For work class operations, the effective use of the T4 is as vital as piloting skills and traditionally has been over-looked as a requisite competency for effective operations. The Underwater Centre offers both a technical/engineering element to this type of training and an opportunity for personnel to develop those vital operational skills needed."