Full Automation Has Arrived – And Its Name Is Zenith!
The evolution of robotics has meant that semi-automated NDT tasks are becoming more widely used in a variety of industries. From ventilation shafts to chemical silos and gas pipes, automatons are crawling, climbing and flying their way to bring us speedy measurements and inspection data for pretty much any kind of testing scenario.
But they still all require an element of human intervention. Inventors and designers have been racing to bring full automation to the mainstream. A functional robot for everyday use has, until now, remained firmly in the testing stages.
However, the introduction of Zenith has turned this on its head, bringing a fully automated inspection solution that’s operated at the touch of a button.
A Fully Automatic NDT Inspection: Built for Today and Future-Proofed for Tomorrow
The Zenith is a remote drop camera system that can survey over 500 feet of vertical space. The only human intervention necessary is the placement of the equipment and input of the asset dimensions and required photographic zoom.
No specialist training is needed to operate the camera. It also has a unique mounting system that means no matter how awkward the entry point to an asset, the camera mounting can easily be assembled to allow for a clear camera drop.
The many features of Zenith include:
- Captures the highest quality 4K images
- Rotates through 360 degrees
- Covers 100% of the asset
- Can survey 150m+ (500ft) of vertical space
- Has capacity for additional payload
- Produces ‘rolled out’ 2D asset maps
- Combine with software (such as Pix4D) to create a 3D photogrammetry model
- A single battery charge provides >2 hours operation
- Easy to transport
- Quick setup
Zenith is an intelligent system that’s designed to evolve as technology advances. Much as it’s cutting-edge today, the designers were keen to ensure that the platform could integrate with future tech.
Advantages and Benefits of the Zenith System
The birth of full automation brings a host of benefits to costly maintenance processes. Removing humans from the equation upscales the quality of data collection. Even the highest quality manned inspection is subject to human error, be it due to inaccuracy, difficult/impossible to access areas or simple mistakes.
Zenith offers all the following:
- Reduced inspection time: Automated inspection is dramatically faster than a manned one. It removes the need for extended asset shut down, the erection of scaffolding and the need for the inspector to stop for a rest, food, comfort breaks etc.
- Increased safety: Removes the need for humans to enter hazardous areas, such as working at height and non-oxygen atmospheres.
- Better coverage: The camera can reach 100% of the asset, unlike a human inspector who might find it difficult or impossible to reach certain areas.
- Increased accuracy: Reliable, consistent data is one of the biggest advantages of robotic inspection data collection.
- Reduced costs: Shorter inspection times, more accurate data and less asset downtime all equal fewer associated costs and increased productivity.
Another huge benefit of fully automated inspections is that it becomes viable to increase the frequency that they’re carried out. There are many reasons to take this proactive approach, including:
- Reduces the likelihood of unexpected breakdowns
- Makes it easier to schedule in repairs/maintenance of multiple assets at the same time
- Increases the accuracy of determining asset MTBF
- Increases safety
- Reduces the chance of any serious environmental disasters
- Increases consumer, shareholder and employee confidence
Zenith brings multiple benefits to inspection tasks. It can be used to survey a wide variety of assets, including chemical silos, ventilations shafts, bleaching towers, ballast tanks and more.
The camera doesn’t only bring speed and accuracy to speed NDT tasks – it also simplifies the whole process.
The camera’s unique design makes it suitable for multiple industries, including Oil & Gas, Agriculture, Mining and more. Upscaling the maintenance process while simultaneously driving down costs is a crucial element for organisations to remain competitive. In today’s market, every dollar counts – and Zenith is already playing a significant role for those taking advantage of its cutting-edge abilities.
Contact us to find out more about any of our inspection equipment, or request a quote online.
You might also find this useful: Fully Automated Inspections Made Simple With the Power of Zenith
