Prysmian Cables & Systems USA

Prysmian Cables & Systems USA is developing a hands-free power cable splicing machine operating in underground vaults to reduce the share of splicing-caused medium-voltage network failures from 60-80% to less than 5% and dramatically improve the workforce safety by reducing the time the underground cable splicing crews spend in underground vaults. The proposed machine—which fits down a utility hole and is operated from above ground—would implement laser cutting and layer preparation, abrade cable layers, and complete the splice while a vision system augmented with machine learning would aid operators in maintaining quality control.