More and more industries are looking for safe ways to perform thickness testing on tanks, stacks and assets at height. In this context, the company Apellix has developed a solution that eliminates ladders and scaffolding: autonomous drones that perform contact measurements with ultrasonic technology (UT) and dry film thickness (DFT).
The system is based on the Opus X4 robotic platform, equipped with a 5 MHz transducer and sensors that guarantee accurate readings even in adverse weather conditions. These drones can operate up to 100 meters high and perform more than 100 measurements per hour without changing batteries, thanks to their ground power system.
Drone inspection that reduces risk to humans
One of the pillars of Apellix is to reduce human exposure in hazardous environments. Thanks to its
Drones can perform more than 100 measurements per hour. Source: Apellix
The company’s drones are certified to operate in more than 20 countries and have been approved by entities such as the U.S. Department of Defense. Their navigation system allows them to operate even in areas without GPS and has gas sensors for flights in dangerous spaces.
Apellix also facilitates data collection and transforms information management. Each inspection generates a 3D map of
This integration capability makes Apellix drones important tools for implementing NDE 4.0 and predictive maintenance strategies in heavy industry, energy and petrochemicals.
Inspection service or purchase of systems
The company offers its systems as a service or as a buy-and-operate solution. Companies can hire its certified engineering team for one-off or pilot projects, or train their own staff to perform inspections in-house.
Thanks to their modular design, the drones can be configured with different types of sensors, adapting to varying thicknesses, materials and temperatures. All this with local technical support in each region where they operate.
Source and photo: Apellix