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The Rise of the XY Crawlers

Published: September 30, 2023

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Author: Christophe Bordeleau, Eddyfi Technologies. September 30, 2023

As part of our self-imposed mandate to provide operators with low-risk remote inspection solutions for on-site assessments and asset integrity management, we are always looking for ways to improve things with efficiency and versatility.

An operational challenge that makes some inspections difficult, or even inaccurate, is the need to precisely turn or steer a remotely operated tracked vehicle. Think about your own vehicle. Turning and parallel parking isn’t always so easy, especially when you’re in a tight space (are you sweating yet?). So what is the solution?

Although Eddyfi Technologies is known for its wide range of small, agile inspection crawlers, we have also been creating industrial robotics capable of XY movements for a long time. Eddyfi Robotics has developed a proprietary design that is increasingly used due to the inherent advantages that an XY track offers over our standard track robots or robots that use a frame arm. This article shares some examples where our unique XY crawler robots really shine.

XY Crawlers Robots by Eddyfy Technologies

XY crawler robots from Eddyfy Technologies

Advantages of an XY scanner

Raster scanning motion is a very common concept in non-destructive testing. It is used in most mapping applications to ensure that the surface is covered with sufficient overlap and accuracy. The most common approach for this is to use a raster arm on a standard crawler. The XY track offers the same benefits, but goes beyond what is possible.

Better position control, ideal for mapping applications. By avoiding skidding and unnecessary movements, position accuracy is greatly increased. Any automation is also much simpler and more effective.
The inspection plan and sequence becomes child’s play when an XY track is used. The absence of restraint strap management and quick repositioning are some of the advantages.
Compared to standard crawler arms, the XY track is capable of supporting much more payload. This opens the doors to some advanced NDT techniques and new applications that were previously impossible.

To learn more about our robotic systems and remote visual inspection software, visit the Eddyfi Academy.

XY track for storage tank inspection

One of the first XY tracks designed and manufactured by Eddyfi Technologies was for the Washington River Protection Solution, or WRPS, for the inspection of tanks at The Hanford Site – a decommissioned nuclear production complex.

In this case, the tightness of the environment and the positioning ability of the inspection track were key reasons for using an XY track, as lack of space would make it impossible for a tethered track to turn 180 degrees. The strap would get stuck between the inner and outer cover. The ability to position and deploy a small robot in a confined space would have been extremely difficult for an operator without the lateral movement of an XY track.

The US Office of Environmental Management published this article on the technology for inspecting the bottom of Hanford double-walled tanks. If technical documents are your thing, check out the Marsupial Miniature Robotic Track System for Deploying Cameras and Sensors in Nuclear Waste Tanks with Double-Shelled Refractory Air Slots.

This project has achieved two “firsts”. Not only did it provide engineers with a complete view of the bottom of the primary double-walled tank (DST) for the first time, but it also represents the first confined space deployment of a truly “marsupial” robotic system. According to Jason Gunter, WRPS engineer, “developing and deploying tools to visually inspect the bottom of primary tanks will help us achieve our ultimate goal of extending the life of double-walled tanks.”

Inspection of coke drums with the ECA probe

Coke drum inspection is another application where an XY track is a key tool. Due to the condition of the inner lining and the type of defects we look for when inspecting coke drums, the most appropriate technique would be the eddy current (ECA) technique.

Due to the shape, size and weight of these types of complex probes, standard raster arms are not suitable for this. This is where a track capable of XY movement will outshine any alternative. By using the entire track to perform lateral movement, you can have a much greater payload capacity, a greater displacement and probes with more coverage can be used.

Additionally, the XY track can accommodate bulges, surface deformations and curvatures with ease, which is not always the case with a rigid frame arm. This is also ideal for inspecting similar assets or critical components.

Inspection of ship hulls with PEC and ACFM

Like the ECA probe used for coke drum inspection, pulsed eddy current (PEC) probes can be significantly heavier than ultrasonic testing (UT) probes and are typically not suitable for a raster arm. An XY track can deploy wide-coverage PEC probes to quickly examine vessel hulls and assess their condition. The other good news is that Eddyfi Technologies also offers depth-rated solutions if drydocking is not an option.

The XY track can also carry alternating current field measurement, or ACFM®, probe packages as a supplemental inspection tool to cover the weld joining the plates. Add this to a dedicated, customized automation routine and you have a complete, repeatable and efficient inspection solution. Check out the online store to build and quote your custom caterpillar.

These are just a few of the many applications in which XY tracks have been used in the past and continue to be used today. Tooling, cleaning and large-scale inspection are the tasks that XY tracks can perform.

Flexible and robust platforms, capable of many different things, the only limit to Eddyfi Technologies’ XY tracks is our imagination. Bring us your remote inspection, maintenance and tooling challenge and let’s see exactly how far these XY tracks can go – contact our team today!