Transportation and logistics

Robot for pipeline maintenance

 The task:

Pipelines carrying liquid raw materials over long distances are buried up to 800 meters deep. Whether below ground or under water, the pipelines are exposed to severe stresses. A failure in one of these pipelines would result in an environmental disaster. The weld seams and other potential weak points are checked using robots which inspect the pipe wall from the inside using ultrasound. These robots are equipped with small sensors to enable the exact position of any flaw to be pinpointed. The pressures inside these pipelines are high, however, so sensors need to be particularly rugged to operate in this environment.

 Method of solution:

The MiniCoder GEL 247 is a precision encoder which enables space-saving solutions to be developed for contactless measurement of rotary and linear motion. Encapsulated in a special housing, it offers particularly effective protection against humidity, dirt and most importantly, pressure.

 Our solution:

During the inspection pass, the GEL 247 encoder is used to record the precise position of any flaws in the pipe wall. Maintenance staff then carry out repairs to the pipeline, avoiding any leakage of the material being transported.

 Our service offering:

• The particular environmental conditions are addressed.
• Design and implementation of a sensor unit that is insensitive to pressure.

 Customer benefits:

• Insensitive, high precision sensor solution
• Space-saving solution

 Why Lenord + Bauer?

Customized solution where account is taken of all local variables such as geometrical constraints and environmental effects.

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