When a pipe —whether a gas line, water main, or a culvert— goes offline, it essentially becomes an underground void encouraging ground collapse or residual content leaking. Because the safest and least disruptive solution is often leaving the decommissioned pipeline in place, asset owners have a continued obligation towards public safety and protecting the environment. Therefore, it is important to select a service provider who understands these responsibilities and can offer a reliable solution to plug the pipeline at the end of the decommissioning or pipe abandonment process.

 

Enter ProFoam. When searching for an industrial robotic solution, we knew we needed proven technology also flexible to our unique requirements. The robot had to be robust enough to handle this tough job, small enough for confined space entry, able to travel long distances to accommodate limited access or a single-entry point, and of course, transport our custom chemical processing system. VersaTrax™ crawlers are frequently seen performing municipal water and sewer remote visual inspections, and their long-standing reputation for transporting payloads in otherwise unreachable locations and always getting the job done made Eddyfi Technologies the natural choice for providing our bespoke robotic solution.

The ProFoam spraybot is based on the VersaTrax pipe inspection crawler. Featuring a pair of heavy-duty tracks that can overcome slick, thick, and what would be a stopper for wheel-based inspection robots, this crawler has a Spectrum™ 90 pan-tilt-zoom camera to create high-quality video records for confirmation of work performed.

ICON Software Displays Real-time Conditions

The crawler includes a motorized camera/payload raise function to remotely navigate varying environments. The spraybot really is the leading-edge technology offering maximum performance in distant reaches. It reliably undertakes the most crucial elements of applying plural component polyurethanes and polyurea in a safe and efficient way. Remote application of the foam is performed with an automatic spray-on ratio to ensure complete coverage preventing the formation of underground cavities or voids as the pipe degrades over time. The increased productivity of a robotic solution has changed the pipe plugging game.

OnSpec Robot Spraybot for Pipeline Decommissioning

The work we do prevents subsidence, soil destabilization, water ingress, or potential pipe leaks that impact all of us, and that’s why ProFoam only uses the best equipment for pipe abandonment. For more information, visit our website. Thanks to Eddyfi Technologies for their continued support; they are the industry go-to for your industrial robotic requirements!

Ready to go remote with robotics? Check out the eStore for instant pricing or get in touch with our experts to discuss your next project now!