Conclusion
Effective utilization of remote crawlers begins
with a clear understanding of mission objectives,
inspection specifications, and line/asset features.
Collectively, these critical areas create a framework
for crawler selection, payloads, and inspection
team attributes. When properly deployed, remote
crawlers yield tremendous benefits including safe,
expedient, and cost-effective data collection, excel-
lent data quality, and minimization or elimination
of excavation and confined space entries. This cul-
mination of attributes can help to reduce outage or
turnaround scope, optimize inspection budgets, and
positively impact safety metrics.
AUTHOR
Ron Kessler: Vice President, Robotic Inspection Solutions,
Team Inc., Sugarland, TX rkessler2012@gmail.com
CITATION
Materials Evaluation 82 (7): 34–39
https://doi.org/10.32548/2024.me-04448
©2024 American Society for Nondestructive Testing
671' 666' 661' 656' 651' Figure 4. Point
cloud view of
indentation and
surrounding
piping.
5/18/2023 09:27
Figure 5. Crawler
camera view.
2'-79/16"
2'-67/16"
3'-113/16"
3'-1"
Figure 6. Best-fit oval due to indentation.
J U L Y 2 0 2 4 • M A T E R I A L S E V A L U A T I O N 39
Effective utilization of remote crawlers begins
with a clear understanding of mission objectives,
inspection specifications, and line/asset features.
Collectively, these critical areas create a framework
for crawler selection, payloads, and inspection
team attributes. When properly deployed, remote
crawlers yield tremendous benefits including safe,
expedient, and cost-effective data collection, excel-
lent data quality, and minimization or elimination
of excavation and confined space entries. This cul-
mination of attributes can help to reduce outage or
turnaround scope, optimize inspection budgets, and
positively impact safety metrics.
AUTHOR
Ron Kessler: Vice President, Robotic Inspection Solutions,
Team Inc., Sugarland, TX rkessler2012@gmail.com
CITATION
Materials Evaluation 82 (7): 34–39
https://doi.org/10.32548/2024.me-04448
©2024 American Society for Nondestructive Testing
671' 666' 661' 656' 651' Figure 4. Point
cloud view of
indentation and
surrounding
piping.
5/18/2023 09:27
Figure 5. Crawler
camera view.
2'-79/16"
2'-67/16"
3'-113/16"
3'-1"
Figure 6. Best-fit oval due to indentation.
J U L Y 2 0 2 4 • M A T E R I A L S E V A L U A T I O N 39