Next time you moan about having to repaint your lounge room - spare a thought for the painters who take a brush to Sydney's Harbour Bridge.
The coathanger is currently undergoing a major makeover - stripped back to bare metal for the first time in its history.
And workers are enlisting the help of some high tech robots.
Two automated machines are using high-pressure blasters to wipe layers of old paint off the Sydney landmark so its southern spans can be repainted.
Innovation and commercial development manager at the University of Technology Sydney, Martin Lloyd, says the robots will save human workers from having to tackle some of the most dangerous jobs involved in maintaining the bridge.
“It's certainly not for the faint hearted. You're working in often very cluttered and confined spaces. And as soon as you start blasting there's a lot of dust and debris.” Mr Lloyd, said.
Asbestos and lead from the old paint are just some of the challenges robot developers had to address.
The automated blasters allow maintenance workers to set up the machines in a contained area, before pushing a button to let them work.
The blasters are powerful enough to cut through clothing and skin. But scientists say it's still a safer way to cleaning our beloved coat hanger.
Work on the Sydney Harbour Bridge has always been dangerous, even more so when building began in 1924.
During the 8 years of construction, 16 people died – many by falling into the water below or died later as a result of their injuries.
More than 80 years later, improvements are still being made to keep the people making our bridge beautiful, safe.
Australians spend $200 million each year on bridge maintenance. Experts say it the use of robots won't just be safer for workers, it will also be more cost effective for the country.
UTS has signed a deal to commercialise the robot design in a bid to crack the international market for cleaning major structures.
Mr Lloyd says there are more than 400,000 steel bridges in the United States and Europe alone.
“That's enough to keep us busy. But abrasive blasting is used in manufacturing. It's used in the marine industry for fabricating and repair of ships. It's used across the board in lots of different industries. So, it's a great opportunity.”
Share
