SmartNews March | Animatics Application Spotlight: Alaskan Pipe Crawler
March 2011
Pipe crawlers from Envision CmosX-ray are robust machines moving with the utmost grace and precision, paired with the toughness and audacity of a mechanized lineman. Controlling the stability and guiding the machine are four SmartMotor servos balancing on top of frozen, elevated Alaskan pipeline while two long arms holding expensive imaging equipment scan the bottom portion of the petroleum pipes in freezing conditions.
Download the full case study below:
The original pipe crawlers could only operate on a small range of pipe diameters, but the newest pipe crawlers utilize the Animatics SmartMotor on each of the four wheels. Hundreds of miles of remote pipeline range in diameter from 4 in. to 4 ft., and the addition of the SmartMotor allowed one machine to suffice for most pipe dimensions.
"Integrating the SmartMotor into our machine design greatly increased the flexibility and reduced the cost. We were able to eliminate a motion controller CPU and reduce the wiring requirements on-board the machine. This saved us time and money and helps with diagnosing potential problems in the field,"said Grant Stockly of Envision CmosX-ray.
Each of the SmartMotor servos utilized an external differential encoder input to create a ratio of speeds in the drive wheels in order to steer the pipe crawler automatically on top of the piping.
For the complete story, download the case study:
"Textbook Application, Innovative Solution: Alaskan Pipe Crawler"
Headquartered in Silicon Valley and with offices world wide, Animatics Corporation is the global leader in integrated motion control products and systems and has been for more than 20 years. Animatics designs, manufactures, markets and sells innovative, state-of-the-art, cutting-edge motion control products, systems and solutions.
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