Non-Destructive testing Survey for a Utility Company
Structural Repairs faced a complex task in conducting a Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) survey for a utility company's water treatment plant. The primary challenges involved inspecting confined spaces with limited access while ensuring worker safety and avoiding costly plant shutdowns. Poor lighting, potential communication disruptions, and the need to identify minute defects in hard-to-reach areas further complicated the task.
The project required an innovative solution that could overcome these obstacles while providing accurate, detailed assessments of critical infrastructure. Traditional inspection methods fell short in meeting these multifaceted demands, necessitating a new approach that could combine safety, efficiency, and precision in confined space inspections.
Structural Repairs deployed the Elios 3 drone, a cutting-edge tool specifically designed for confined space inspections. This innovative solution leveraged LiDAR-based mapping, collision resilience, and advanced imaging capabilities to conduct a comprehensive NDT survey without compromising safety or operations. The Elios 3's unique features directly addressed the challenges of confined spaces in the water treatment plant.
The drone's collision-resistant design allowed for close-up inspections in tight areas where human access would be dangerous or impossible. Its advanced imaging system, combining high-definition visual cameras with thermal sensors, enabled the detection of minute defects that might be invisible to the naked eye. The Elios 3's powerful, dust-proof lighting system overcame poor visibility issues, while its modular payload system allowed for customization to meet specific inspection requirements.
This solution offered a safe, efficient, and cost-effective alternative to traditional inspection methods, eliminating the need for plant shutdowns and significantly reducing safety risks associated with confined space entry.
Skilled operators navigated the Elios 3 drone through the water treatment plant's complex confined spaces, including narrow pipes, tanks, and intricate structural components. The drone's collision-resistant design allowed it to bounce off surfaces and continue unimpeded, accessing areas impossible for human inspectors.
As it moved, the drone's high-definition cameras and thermal imaging sensors captured detailed visual and thermal data, identifying a wide range of potential defects from surface corrosion to hidden leaks. The 3D live mapping feature, powered by LiDAR, enabled real-time visualization and assessment of the inspected areas.
The FlyAware™ SLAM engine provided centimeter-level accuracy, ensuring precise location and mapping of even the smallest defects. Throughout the inspection, the drone's powerful dust-proof lighting system ensured clear visibility in dark areas, while the Return-To-Signal feature maintained connectivity in weak signal zones.
This technology-driven process allowed for a thorough inspection of the entire facility, providing unprecedented access to hard-to-reach areas and gathering detailed data without disrupting plant operations.
The innovative NDT survey approach delivered significant benefits to the utility company. Workplace safety saw a marked improvement by eliminating the need for personnel to enter hazardous confined spaces. Simultaneously, the non-intrusive nature of the drone inspection allowed for uninterrupted plant operations, resulting in substantial cost savings. The high-precision data collected enabled the creation of a comprehensive digital twin of the facility's confined spaces, providing an invaluable asset for future maintenance planning and operational optimisation.
The detailed defect mapping produced by the survey allowed for the development of prioritised and targeted repair strategies. This approach has the potential to extend the lifespan of critical infrastructure significantly. Moreover, the success of this groundbreaking inspection method has set a new industry standard for confined space assessments in utility facilities, demonstrating the potential of advanced technology to revolutionise traditional inspection processes.
Structural Repairs are a leading global specialist