Inspection robots: Simplifying industrial inspections

Industrial inspections are crucial to maintaining safety, efficiency and productivity in various sectors. Traditional inspection methods are often time-consuming, labour-intensive and present safety risks for human inspectors. However, the arrival of inspection robots has simplified industrial inspections, providing improvements in reliability and safety. From Robotnik’s experience with the inspection robot RB-WATCHER, this article reviews the advantages that autonomous mobile robotics provide in industrial inspection, what tasks or processes can be automated and what are the most in-demand applications/areas.

The systematic procedures within industrial inspections aim to evaluate the state of equipment, facilities and processes within an industry. These inspections are essential to ensure that industrial operations are carried out safely, efficiently and in accordance with current regulations. The main objectives of industrial inspections are:

Inspection robots bring significant innovation in the field of industrial inspections. Equipped with advanced technologies, these robots can perform a variety of inspection tasks with high precision and efficiency.

Autonomous mobile robots are equipped with advanced navigation systems that allow them to move independently through industrial environments. They use technologies such as LIDAR, GPS and advanced vision systems to:

During an industrial inspection, autonomous mobile robots collect large amounts of data that are:

Inspection robots can be connected to communication systems that allow them to:

Here you can check out the robot use case RB-WATCHER performing industrial inspections in an electrical substation of the Spanish energy company EDP. Inspection robots also automate industrial inspections in the following areas:

Industrial inspection in the oil and gas industry takes on special relevance due to the nature of the materials and the damage caused by any error in this sector. Inspection robots are used, for example, to detect leaks, monitor storage tanks or offshore platforms. An inspection robot can operate in hazardous environments such as those containing high levels of toxic gases.

Evaluating the condition of bridges, tunnels and other infrastructure or construction environments.

Inspection robots are increasingly used for the maintenance of renewable energy infrastructures such as wind turbines and solar panels. In these environments, an autonomous mobile robot can identify problems such as erosions, cracks and misalignments in equipment or detect hot spots.

Monitoring and checking that the storage systems and logistical or production material are working properly. Furthermore, an inspection robot can also perform inspection in a warehouse in terms of detecting intrusions, anomalies and even perimeter inspection in the case of RB-WATCHER.

Inspection and maintenance robots have significantly improved the way industrial inspection tasks and processes are performed. They can navigate autonomously or be controlled remotely, offering several advantages over traditional inspection methods.

Mobile robots can navigate complex industrial environments, reaching areas that are difficult or dangerous for human inspectors. This flexibility allows for comprehensive inspections even in large facilities.

Mobile robots can transmit inspection data in real time, allowing immediate analysis and decision-making. This capability is particularly valuable for quickly identifying and addressing problems.

By minimising downtime, mobile robots can significantly reduce costs associated with industrial inspections. This profitability makes them an attractive option for industries of all sizes.

Robotnik inspection robots are equipped with a variety of sensors, such as thermal cameras, PTZ cameras or 3D LIDAR, improving their ability to detect a wide range of problems. This versatility makes them suitable for various inspection tasks.

One of the most in-demand tasks is autonomous thermal inspection using mobile robots. Within general industrial inspection, thermal inspections are a critical part of industrial maintenance. Detecting anomalies such as overheating, insulation faults or electrical faults ensures that they are rectified before becoming more serious problems. Inspection robots integrate thermal imaging cameras to carry out these inspections in an uninterrupted, stable and effective way, avoiding errors derived from human fatigue.

Technological evolution allows inspection robots to currently have improved capabilities to perform inspection and maintenance tasks with a precision and reliability that was hitherto unfeasible.

Thus, Inspection robotics have totally changed the landscape of industrial inspections, offering a safer, more efficient and profitable automated solution.

In conclusion, the future of industrial inspection presents a clear trend towards the use of mobile devices that allow the automation of critical tasks that present obvious dangers for operators. Thanks to their ability to navigate complex terrain, mobile inspection robots execute tasks with high precision and analyse large volumes of data, allowing failure prediction.

With continued advances in artificial intelligence and robotics, inspection robots will increase their capabilities, more intelligently automating industrial inspections.