TPT January 2011

T echnology U pdate

Olympus introduces new videoscope

OLYMPUS has introduced the new IPLEX YS industrial videoscope. This new videoscope features a long 30m insertion tube and a host of new technologies unique to the industry. The IPLEX YS features an 8.5mm diameter, 30m long insertion tube with a pneumatic articulation system. Significantly longer than any other Olympus videoscope, the IPLEX YS has the ability to reach difficult- to-access inspection areas commonly found in power generation, oil and gas, petrochemical, and general pipe inspection applications. Maximising ease of use in these applications, the IPLEX YS can be operated on batteries alone or powered by onboard CO 2 for a truly remote inspection solution. Integral to the IPLEX YS is an insertion tube drum storage system, which neatly and easily stores the long insertion tube. The pneumatic articulation system uses air or CO 2 instead of mechanical articulation wires, with no loss of articulation performance compared to coiled or straight insertion tubes. As such, users only need to dispense the specific length of insertion tube necessary for a given application, leaving the remainder on the drum. Articulation performance is not affected if the user chooses to only use 15m (49ft) and leaves the remaining length stored on the drum so as to not interfere with and clutter the inspection area. In addition to being operable with AC or battery power, the IPLEX YS has the ability to connect to a local compressed air source or house pressurised LINSINGER tube layer sawing machines are used in leading seamless tube mills for rapid and clean cut tube layers. The high output productivity provided by the sawing machines has been the main reason why they are often chosen by leading manufacturers around the world. The robust machines can operate at high speed round the clock continuously and reliably under even the harshest conditions. Working conditions in seamless tube mills are not known as particularly friendly environments for man and machine. These especially rough conditions can be found just after the cooling bed near the steel mill. Every minute and for 24 hours per day, the rolled tubes are transported onto the cooling bed for tube end processing. Tube layers are formed to cut several tubes to length or to remove the drop ends.

CO 2 cylinders onboard for completely tether- cylinders are field- swappable and allow for approximately 500 articulation movements. In addition, the air or CO 2 can be remotely controlled to “blast” a burst of air across the optical tip adapter lens for cleaning and debris removal. This allows users in wet or polluted environments to perform basic cleaning remotely while eliminating the need to remove the entire insertion tube to wipe any moisture or dust that may have obstructed the view of the CCD camera. The IPLEX YS also features a unique innovation in videoscope illumination with the introduction of a laser diode light source. Laser light is extremely bright and capable of travelling through the 30m (98ft) light guide and producing a significantly higher light output than that typically seen in a videoscope of this length. In fact, the brightness of the IPLEX YS is comparable to short-length bulb and LED-based systems. Low and efficient power consumption of the laser light source also allows the system to operate for approximately two hours using the rechargeable Li-Ion battery. Another technological advance in the IPLEX YS is the addition of a gravity-sensing sensor in the distal end that no longer requires the user to guess whether the tube end is in an up or down position. The IPLEX YS features a fixed on-screen indicator to accurately assess distal end orientation. As Linsinger’s tried and proven state-of- the-art sawing system for cutting of tube layers in 3-shift-operation provides the perfect answer. Using the latest vibration- free technology, Linsinger design specialists have once again helped produce excellent cutting results. Crack-free and practically burr-free cutting of the highest quality, with no hardening or thermal influence is possible. And the emission-free cutting process produces cutting chips that can be easily reprocessed. As a result of the enormous potential output volume, the savings generated by the exceptionally low cost per cut far outweigh the comparatively small investment within a short payback period. Tubes with material tensile strength up to 1,400 N/mm² can be cut easily. The frictionless machine design without drive free operation. The CO 2

an additional option, a length indicator can be added to the IPLEX YS system to provide an on-screen readout of how much of the insertion tube has been inserted into the test piece. This system can be reset at any point by the user so relative distances can be displayed (for example, 15ft past the 90º bend in the pipe). The IPLEX YS provides excellent colour reproduction and superb clarity on the industry- leading 6.5" daylight-view monitor, enabling small defects to be detected. The IPLEX YS also includes many of the advanced features found on the flagship IPLEX FX, including WiDER™ (Wide Dynamic Extended Range) image processing, 1GB internal memory, still and video image recording, Compact Flash and USB storage, keyboard and hard disk drive compatibility, and live video output via S-Video or BNC composite connectors. A comprehensive range of interchangeable optical tip adapters is also available, including adapters specifically designed for stereo measurement. In addition, the unique SmartTip™featurepermitsrecordingofadapter information along with captured images for inspection traceability. With the introduction of the IPLEX YS industrial videoscope, Olympus is setting a new standard in Remote Visual Inspections (RVI). belts ensures very tight tolerances. The resulting cut quality can be sold to market without any further de-burring. All that right beside the cooling bed. Linsinger said its long-lasting proven leadership has grown thanks to satisfied customers worldwide, who benefit from the many attractive additional features such as transport systems, length measuring stops and additional clamping devices for layer formation. Finding the perfect match between sawing machine and tooling is the key to low production costs. Linsinger, with its unique in-house fully automatic toolingmanufacturing facility, offers perfectly matched sawing machines and tooling from a single source. Linsinger also provides turn-key saw blade repair shops and operator training in close support for customers aiming for more competitive production costs. Linsinger Maschinenbau – Austria Website: www.linsinger.com Olympus NDT – USA Fax: +1 781 419 3980 Website: www.olympus-ims.com

Linsinger boosts tube layers

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J anuary 2011

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