Remote Video Inspection System for Underwater Steel Piles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for inspecting epoxy coatings on underwater steel piles require human dive teams, exposing them to hazards and being inefficient, with high operational costs and limited construction pace.
Innovation Solution
A system of remotely operated video cameras mounted on a frame, allowing for simultaneous inspection of the entire circumference of steel piles, using spaced cameras, wheels for smooth movement, and strategically placed lights, enabling remote QC inspections without human exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If human dive teams are used for inspection, then inspection quality control can be performed, but safety risks and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses video cameras to create visual copies of the pile surfaces instead of requiring human divers to physically inspect them. The cameras capture images that can be analyzed later, providing the same inspection quality control function without exposing humans to underwater hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of human divers physically swimming and inspecting piles with a remote-operated camera system. This substitution eliminates the safety risks to divers while maintaining inspection capabilities through automated image capture and analysis.
2Reliability
If human dive teams are used for inspection, then inspection can be performed, but operational costs and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
By capturing visual copies of all pile surfaces through cameras, the system enables parallel processing and analysis of multiple piles simultaneously, dramatically improving inspection efficiency compared to sequential manual inspection by divers.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera system can autonomously navigate and capture images of piles without requiring continuous human intervention. The automated operation reduces labor costs and allows inspections to proceed faster, improving overall productivity.
3Device complexity
If single camera inspection is used, then equipment complexity is reduced, but inspection completeness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection system is segmented into multiple camera units, each responsible for capturing images of specific portions of the pile. This segmentation allows complete coverage of the entire pile surface while keeping each individual camera relatively simple in design.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple camera views are merged together to create a complete inspection record of the entire pile. By combining the data from several cameras positioned at different locations, the system achieves comprehensive inspection coverage that would be impossible with a single camera.
Data Source
AI summary
The system enables remote inspection of an object, such as an underwater steel pile, using a plurality of video cameras. The cameras are positioned on a frame along a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the object and spaced apart so as to enable inspection of the circumference of the object. Moving the frame along the surface of the object enables a video of the entire surface area of the object to be made. A plurality of wheels are mounted to the frame to provide rolling contact with the surface of the object and to cause the cameras to remain a fixed distance from the surface of the object. A plurality of springs are mounted between the frame and the wheels to further ensure smooth movement of the frame. A plurality of lights mounted to the frame illuminate the surface of the object during the inspection process.