Inspection robot benefits for critical infrastructure applications

Inspection robots feature advanced vision systems and are in high demand in critical infrastructure applications and industries such as oil & gas and the petrochemical industries.

By AIA April 21, 2019

Inspection robots are a form of mobile professional service robot used to automate the inspection of critical infrastructure. They typically feature advanced vision systems and a suite of sensors for accurate, reliable inspections.

Professional service robots as a whole are expected to experience robust growth in the near future. Inspection robots are projected to be among the fastest growing types of professional service robots over the next few years, as they offer many benefits for end users.

According to a report from Technavio, the global market for inspection robots is expected to grow at a 21% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2021 according to a report from Technavio. This rapid growth can be attributed to numerous factors.

Demand from the oil, gas and petrochemical industries is one of the primary driving factors of this growth. Additionally, the steadily maturing capabilities of inspection robots, as well as their ability to deliver quick return on investment (ROI) for end users, is contributing to this rapid growth.

Inspection robots can be used in a wide variety of ways, including for mobile or aerial inspection of pipes, inspection of ferromagnetic structures, inspection of large tanks or vessels, and autonomous sewer inspection, among many other things.

Inspection robot benefits for end users

By automating the inspection process, inspection robots offer many benefits for end users. They also offer major productivity advantages over manual inspections. Robots are capable of working with very little operator interference and with great levels of uptime.

Additionally, inspection robots that deploy an array of vision systems, ultrasonic inspection systems, and other advanced sensors, can provide much more reliable inspections when compared to manual processes. The accuracy of inspection robots also minimizes error and risk in inspection of high-value infrastructure.

This article originally appeared in Vision Online. AIA is a part of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, CFE Media, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

Original content can be found at www.visiononline.org.