Eddyfi improves NDT technology

UP THE WALL

TANK INSPECTION • EDDYFI TECHNOLOGIES HAS IMPROVED ITS NDT KIT AND SOFTWARE, PROMISING TANK STORAGE OPERATORS FASTER AND SAFER WALL THICKNESS MEASUREMENTS

EDDYFI TECHNOLOGIES HAS launched Swift™, a brand new ultrasonic testing instrument as part of its Silverwing product line. The new instrument in its line of non-destructive testing (NDT) solutions brings long-awaited efficiency improvements to remote-access applications such as storage tank inspections.

The importance of tank inspection should not be understated. Tank shell wall thickness, being an important measure of a tank’s structural integrity, requires in-depth and detailed analysis at regular intervals. Swift can be used alongside Eddyfi’s Scorpion2™, a steerable, remote-control ultrasonic

EDDYFI’S SILVERWING-BRANDED UT EQUIPMENT,

SUPPLEMENTED BY ITS NEW SWIFT INSTRUMENT,

ARE JUST PART OF ITS BROADER NDT OFFERING inspection crawler. Using ultrasonic testing (UT) crawlers like the Scorpion2 means inspections can occur efficiently, with all the scan data recorded in real time.

The Scorpion2 enables a deeper understanding of assets due to its unique UT analysis capabilities and software features. The unit combines a full-featured UT instrument as well as the capability to drive and control the UT crawler remotely. The latter brings a significant increase in the efficiency of tank inspection due to the fact that no scaffolding or rope access is necessary to perform checks.

NEW AND IMPROVED Scorpion2 boasts several major features over its predecessor. For example, the drycoupled probe wheel removes the need for an external water source, usually needed for UT inspections. The Scorpion also comes fitted with a gimballed probe holder, enabling the inspection of uneven surfaces. From a technological point of view, the Scorpion2 has the ability to programme with length and pattern of scans which gives users more flexibility and is capable of measuring thickness at speeds of up to 180 mm/s (6in/s). Finally, the 50-m (164-ft) umbilical removes the need for scaffolding and rope access, which is hugely beneficial for ease of use and for the safety of operators.

Scorpion2 comes equipped with four permanent magnet-drive wheels and two encoders. This combination makes it possible to compensate for the crawler’s drift from slippage and the weight of the cable. It also has a significantly simpler design, making it quicker and easier to set up than the original Scorpion.

“Swift and Scorpion2 are the perfect power UT inspection combo,” says Edwin van der Leden, product manager at Eddyfi Technologies. “Not only do they contribute to improve the overall efficiency of inspections, they also provide better accuracy. For example, we bring forth a unique way of processing gate information, rendering acquired data with floating gates and making postinspection processing of gate information possible. This translates to higher revenues for our customers.”

Eddyfi Technologies, headquartered in Quebec, Canada, employs more than 250 people and has customers in more than 80 countries. Eddyfi develops what it says are the industry’s most reliable test instruments, acquisition and analysis software, as well as more specialised surface array and tubing probes. The company focuses on offering high-performance non-destructive testing solutions for the inspection of critical components and assets.

Last month Eddyfi announced the acquisition of M2M, a French developer and manufacturer of phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) instruments for NDT. The deal extends Eddyfi’s presence in what CEO Martin Thériault terms “the much larger advanced ultrasound space” and also gives the company a foothold in China, where M2M has an office. HCB www.eddyfitechnologies.com