Launching Swift, the New UT Instrument for Scorpion2

From: Sunday, March 18, 2018

Greatly improve the efficiency of remote-access UT inspections.

As a world leader in advanced non-destructive testing solutions, Eddyfi Technologies is happy to launch Swift™, a brand-new ultrasonic testing (UT) instrument in the Silverwing product line. It brings long-awaited efficiency improvements to remote-access applications, such as storage tank inspection. Above-ground tanks are used to store a variety of liquids, from gasoline to biofuels, through crude oil and chemicals. The integrity and overall health of these tanks is commensurate with the productivity of terminals, therefore it is important to keep the assets in good shape and inspect for corrosion damage that could cause downtime or much worse problems. Used with Scorpion2™—a steerable, remote-control ultrasonic inspection crawler—Swift enables a deeper understanding of assets, thanks to its unique UT analysis capabilities and software features. The fact that the unit combines a full-featured UT instrument and the capacity to drive and control the UT crawler brings a significant increase in the efficiency of the tank inspection industry because no scaffolding or rope access is necessary. As for Scorpion2, it is approximately five times faster than its predecessor, measuring thicknesses at speeds up to 180 mm/s (6 in/s). Scorpion2 is equipped with four permanent magnet drive wheels and two encoders, making it possible to compensate for the crawler’s drift from slippage and the weight of its cable. It also boasts a significantly simpler design, making it easier and faster to set up than the original Scorpion. Of course, Scorpion2 benefits from a number of other great features:

  • The dry-coupled probe wheel removes the need for an external water source, usually needed for UT inspections.
  • The gimballed probe holder enables inspecting uneven surfaces.
  • The 50 m (164 ft) umbilical removes the need for scaffolding and rope access.
  • The ability to program the length and pattern of scans gives users more flexibility.

Edwin Van Der Leden, product manager at Eddyfi Technologies, comments: “Swift and Scorpion2 are the perfect power UT inspection combo, because 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 post-inspection processing of gate information possible. This translates to higher revenues for our customers.” For details about the solution, visit www.silverwingndt.com/scorpion2/.