# Decommissioning chemical missiles with robots

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2021-11-04
- Length: 1h 05m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-04-decommissioning-chemical-missiles-with-robots
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/decommissioning-chemical-missiles-with-robots

## Summary

James DeSmet, president and CEO of CRG Automation, explains how his company designed a robotic system to decommission 70,000 chemical M55 rockets at the Bluegrass Army Depot in Kentucky. The system utilizes Kawasaki industrial robots and Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) autonomous mobile robots to package nerve agents into sealed canisters, replacing a dangerous shearing process. DeSmet details the engineering challenges of handling 60-year-old munitions, including warped tubes and leaking agents, and the collaborative process with government experts to meet the 2023 international treaty deadline. The episode also covers recent autonomous vehicle news, including Cruise's driverless rides in San Francisco and Waymo's mapping efforts in New York City.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-04-decommissioning-chemical-missiles-with-robots#t=7) Introduction and Autonomous Vehicle News
- [29:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-04-decommissioning-chemical-missiles-with-robots#t=1780) Introduction: James DeSmet and CRG Automation
- [30:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-04-decommissioning-chemical-missiles-with-robots#t=1804) The Old Shearing Process and Safety Risks
- [33:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-04-decommissioning-chemical-missiles-with-robots#t=2005) The New Containerization System and Robotics
- [39:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-04-decommissioning-chemical-missiles-with-robots#t=2394) Identifying Leakers and Vertical Cutting
- [41:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-04-decommissioning-chemical-missiles-with-robots#t=2504) Collaboration and Learning the Munitions Process
- [44:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-04-decommissioning-chemical-missiles-with-robots#t=2694) Testing Concepts and Drop Tests
- [47:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-04-decommissioning-chemical-missiles-with-robots#t=2846) Mobile Robot Integration and Design Philosophy
- [49:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-04-decommissioning-chemical-missiles-with-robots#t=2985) Real Munition Variations and Blade Wear
- [57:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-04-decommissioning-chemical-missiles-with-robots#t=3474) CRG's Growth and Future Business Strategy

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Quality & yield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/quality-and-yield)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- CRG Automation (company)
- Cruise (company)
- Waymo (company)
- Nuro (company)
- Skyline Robotics (company)
- Geek Plus (company)
- Tech Man Robot (company)
- Omron (company)
- Facebook (company)
- Kawasaki (other)
- Mobile Industrial Robots (other)
- Kuka (other)
- MiR (other)
- Dinosave (other)
- PEO Aqua (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode Five - Robots for hazardous environments: into the extremes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2021-02-26-episode-five-robots-for-hazardous-environments-into-the-extremes) (Robot Talk)
- [Episode 64: Robots for nuclear decommissioning - Rav Chunilal](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-12-01-episode-64-robots-for-nuclear-decommissioning-rav-chunilal) (Robot Talk)
- [Cleaning America’s 500,000 Toxic Land Sites: The PFAS Breakthrough](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-05-22-cleaning-americas-500-000-toxic-land-sites-the-pfas-breakthrough) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Episode Fifty-One: James Kell](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-06-02-episode-fifty-one-james-kell) (Robot Talk)
- [Episode 100: Robots in space - Mini Rai](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-11-29-episode-100-robots-in-space-mini-rai) (Robot Talk)

## Citing this page

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