INDUSTRIAL INSPECTION

Driven by growing willingness among companies to invest in technologies that help improve process and operational efficiency. An inspection process involves organized examination and assessment of engineering activities. As an interdisciplinary domain of material science, electronics, sensors, analytics and robotics, inspection technology focuses on sensor development, data analytics and delivery mechanism. Inspection activities revolve around tests, measurements and gauges that are applied to certain characteristics related to a specific activity or object. The results obtained are compared to specific standards and requirements in order to determine if the item or activity is in conformance to the preset targets. Inspections are of various types including visual inspection or inspection involving the use of sensing technologies, and are conducted either through direct physical presence or via remote visual inspection. For manufacturing facilities, quality related in-process inspection and verification are essential aspects of quality control in the manufacturing process. The process helps in identification of detective products for preventing loss to a company. Inspection tools help users in making decisions related to product disposition, getting data for pertinent actions and conforming to procedural and regulatory guidelines. Manufacturing facilities and shops have been carrying out inspections as an integral part of their operations, with conventional process involving data being recorded on paper. While inspection is bound to remain significant, the process is gravitating from traditional paper-based methods to digital solutions.

Technological advances and rapid digitization are gradually turning paper into a thing of the past, driving companies towards digital inspections to streamline the process and save on money and time. Digital Inspection assists engineers in testing, measuring and inspecting automation tools or electronic equipment with devices that are digitally-connected to tablets or laptops for digitally storing results. Traditional paper-based inspection approaches are time-intensive and associated with low efficiency and accuracy. The use of digital platforms addresses these issues to help organizations in achieving higher efficiencies. The inspection focuses on non-destructive testing methods like computed tomography, remote visual inspection and radiography. Some of the sophisticated digital inspection tools available on the market are video bore scope, app-based ultrasonic flaw detectors, USB digital microscopes, digital testers, digital calipers and digital multi-meters. Digital inspection is extensively used in industries such as aviation for inspecting aircraft engines, food & beverage for inspecting equipment, and oil & gas for corrosion assessment of associated pipelines. While digital inspection tools are relatively expensive, their benefits far exceed the initial cost and provide organizations with an effective strategy to increase productivity and profitability. In the oil & gas sector, as the pressure builds on companies to maximize the capital efficiency ratio, use of drones for inspecting assets is rising in prominence. Maintenance of oil & gas assets such as offshore platforms, semi-submersibles, FPSOs, onshore refineries, petrochemical plants, is vital as it has a direct impact on the company`s bottom-line. Digitization of inspection offers important benefits like increased efficiency of inspections and timely prevention of failures. Drones, in this regard, help capture rich data that enable improved and faster decision-making, communication, budgeting and planning. Drone inspection is less expensive, quicker & safer; enables preventive maintenance of inaccessible structures; & capture high quality images and video. All of these benefits help stretch capital investments to the maximum.