Design Process

Introduction....

Step 1: Identify the Need or the Problem

A method to stop biofouling is needed for marine industries. However our team focused on oil and gas industries, such as subsea structures.

Step 2: Research the Need or the Problem

Our team researched:

- Biofouling

- Types of fouling organisms

- Biological effects of biofouling

- Economic effects of biofouling

- What antifouling is

- Current antifouling techniques

> Fouling release coatings

> Copper and copper-free antifouling

> Nano anti-fouling

- Antifouling from nature

Step 3: Develop Solutions

Our team went through a long developing process, feeding off ideas that had already been created, and new ones entirely. Many, if not all, had their own flaws. When we were developing solutions, we really had to narrow down. We had to pick a target material, a target industry, and a target stage (such as particles of organic matter, or secondary colonisers). This method was very helpful as we could really limit our solutions down, allowing us to eventually select the best solution.

Step 4: Select the Best Solution

As mentioned above, in order to limit our solutions we picked a target material, target industry and target stage. Our target material was high grade stainless steel and plastics. Our target industry was the oil and gas industries, focusing on subsea structures. Our target stage was primary and secondary colonisers. Once we narrowed down our solutions, we drew up a list of the pros, cons, and unknowns which lead us to our current solution; Obot!

Step 5: Test and Evaluate

For our testing, we decided to test the difference in biofouling for the metals. We chose to test the biofouling of steel and aluminium. We found that steel showed biofouling a lot more than aluminium over two weeks in the water at Hillary Boat Harbour.

This image from our research show is the difference between the steel (rectangles) and the aluminium (square) over only two weeks in water.

Step 6: Communicate Solutions

For this we chose to communicate our solutions through this website, and our instagram page: obot_oceanworks We chose this method of communication our ideas as our crew believed it was a modern and accessible way to show our ideas, not only for the competition, but also to others!

Step 7: Redesign

We are currently working hard at this stage to create a commercially and scientifically viable solution.