Spring shutdowns are coming up: Book your RVI equipment repairs now, and save!

Spring outages, shutdowns, and turnarounds are just around the corner. So get a heads-up on your borescopes, videoscopes, and pipeline camera inspection equipment repairs right now to ensure all your RVI tools are fully functional when you need them.

Ask us for an RMA number by February 15th, and get 10% off your first repair. The Atlas team is also available for equipment rentals, purchases, and field services to help you prepare for your spring inspections.

Atlas representatives are available 24 / 7.

Call 1.800.281.0650 or email us to determine the right equipment for your specific remote visual inspection equipment needs.

Atlas Inspection Technologies is proud to represent ARIES, the best pipeline inspection and rehabilitation equipment manufacturer in North America. ARIES equipment includes pan-and-tilt and pan-tilt-and-zoom cameras, six-wheeled robotic crawlers for pipes from 6” to 120”, standard and pan-and-tilt push cameras, pipeline grouting systems, and lateral reinstatement cutters for relined pipe. Available systems include both portable and complete systems in customized chassis or trailers.

Atlas representatives are available 24 / 7. Call 1.800.281.0650 or email us to determine the right equipment for your specific remote visual inspection equipment needs.

The challenge

The pipeline company is a major provider of natural gas to Louisiana. In October 2010, the plant lost a PIG (pipeline inspection gauge) in one of the pipes they were trying to clean. The PIG got sucked the wrong way, and came through a valve. Fitted with two rubber discs on each end, the PIG’s body was approximately 30 inches O.D. and 40 inches long, and ultimately cracked the pipe it was stuck in.

“We knew the approximate location of where the pig was located in the pipe, we just couldn’t pin point the exact location ourselves,” explains the company’s Assistant District Manager. “We didn’t have access to the right equipment at the time, so we had to call upon a third-party to get the situation resolved, so we could get the plant up and running again as soon as possible to minimize shutdown period.” While waiting for the emergency crew, the team shut the station down, located the device, and cut the pipe open upstream to allow easier access for the camera tool.

The solution

The staff had immediately called a third-party company to the site to address the challenge. Unfortunately, it soon transpired that the crew showed up with only a push camera on hand which eventually could not do the job, so they were sent home.”Their tool was simply not designed for our type of environment, nor was it designed to go where it needed to go within the pipe,” adds the Assistant District Manager. “So we looked online for inspection cameras, found Atlas Inspection Technologies, and called them right away after evaluating they had the expertise and equipment needed to do this specific inspection.”

The Atlas team dispatched immediately from its nearby local operations center, and arrived on the scene, fully equipped with all the tools they needed to tackle the situation. Once on site, the technician quickly assessed the challenge and recommended the use of a small robotic, explosion-proof pan-tilt EEX crawler to get into the pipe and visualize the PIG. “Atlas’ solution provided us with a confirmation of the exact location of our problem, and the team helped us improvise on the spot,” continues the Assistant District Manager. “We ended up doing some creative rigging to set up the mobile vehicle another six inches up, so it would not scrape the bottom of the pipe. The team was more open than the other company we initially used to looking at other possible solutions when the original plan did not work.”

The business results

With Atlas’ prompt response, expert know-how, and technology, the pipeline company minimized its plant shutdown period.

“We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety,” concludes the Assistant District Manager. “We want to make sure our operations remain as safe as possible to protect the public, our employees, and our pipelines’ operational integrity. Atlas brought their deep expertise and creativity to help us in a complex application. They worked together with us to get the job done, and were very professional. They did whatever we required them to do without question. I would recommend Atlas Inspection Technologies for PIG and FOD retrieval situations. We will certainly call upon their services again if we need to.”

Atlas representatives are available 24 / 7. Call 1.800.281.0650 or email us to determine the right equipment for your specific remote visual inspection equipment needs.

Whether you need to rent, purchase, or repair remote visual inspection (RVI) equipment such as borescopes, XRF analyzers, or pipe inspection cameras, you should pick up the phone and talk to your provider first. Why? Because there are hundreds of possible products that you can conveniently order online, but how can you be certain that the particular piece of equipment you select is the right one for your specific application or challenge? Your provider has the expertise to recommend and supply the right product for your job, enabling you to conduct the most cost- effective and efficient inspection.

1. Confirm your initial equipment choice and options

One size does not fit all. Speaking with an expert user ahead of time will enable you to confirm that the equipment you are thinking of using for your specific application is the right one (or not). If you get the wrong equipment, you will not be able to start your project as quickly, not to mention associated increased project risks, such as equipment breakage. Speaking with an expert user may also result in a more cost-effective solution, for example renting instead of buying. Your advisor will be able to guide you to make the right decision for your budget and timeline.

2. Save time, money, and frustration

No need to spend hours searching online for the right equipment! Picking up the phone and speaking with your provider will enable you to make the right tool choice straight away. No return shipping and reordering either! Ordering the right piece of equipment out of the gate means you won’t need to go back and forth with your provider later and have to pay for all associated extra expenses, not to mention the added time and frustration.

3. Minimize risk on the job

A lot can go wrong on a job, and using inadequate equipment is the last thing you want to happen. Speaking to an experienced user before selecting the right tool will minimize risk and ensure maximum safety on the job site. Here is a scenario where things can easily go wrong. Imagine you are inspecting a GE Frame 7 gas turbine and you receive an 8mm x 7.5 m videoscope (24.8’) from your rental company. Technically, this scope will do the job, it will fit into the ports, and it has enough light. However, a user will only need to insert around 10’ of the video probe into the turbine. The rest of the scope will lay on the catwalk, inviting someone to step on it and crush the insertion tube. Additionally, a video borescope tip articulation really only works well when the probe is uncoiled. If you have too much probe on the ground, it strains the articulation. All of this makes a scope difficult to use and invites expensive OEM repairs, which can typically run from $10,000 to $12,000 for a crushed insertion tube.

Atlas representatives are available 24 / 7. Call 1.800.281.0650 or email us to determine the right equipment for your specific remote visual inspection equipment needs.

Here at Atlas Inspection Technologies, our expertise in remote visual inspection solutions involves us in many different industries and environments. Not only do we make sure we are always on the leading edge of technology but also that we always lead in the inspection world in general.

Recently I was a part of an inspection crew that saved one of our customers several thousands of dollars. While it’s always nice to know you can do what your customer has asked, being able to exceed their expectations is what sets us apart and why we have such a loyal and growing customer base for our field inspection services.

This particular job was in the oil refining industry with a leading and innovative company. They needed to have their FCC converter inspected in a way they had never done before. I knew we could accomplish what they needed with our Pan Tilt Zoom drop down cameras. Before they discovered our experienced inspectors, past inspections of this converter required one of their employees to enter the confined space to get the visuals which made room for interpretation but also brought with it additional safety concerns. Using our pan and tilt pipe camera we were able to gather high quality video imaging to capture multiple views to assist the facility in interpreting and make decisions as a whole. This type of information is always very valuable to archive and review over the years and to use for comparisons to see if the condition of equipment has changed.

Shortly after we finished inspection of their FCC converter we were brought in to inspect their sister facility to perform a similar inspection. The inspection at this facility went just as smooth. We will be doing similar inspections again for these facilities in the future.

If your facility or power plant is looking for qualified, experienced, well trained, and dependable inspectors to inspect gas turbines, boiler tubes, sewer lines, rotating equipment etc., call Atlas at 800.281.0650 for more information or a quote. Our state of the art equipment used for pipeline inspection includes push cameras and pipe crawlers, XRF analyzers for Positive Material Identification, videoscopes, and infrared cameras.

I was part of a team that recently completed a video inspection of an oil and gas refinery. Tasked to inspect external pleneum, we used IBAK Orpheus cameras to drop down each of the dip legs to inspect for both known damage from blow outs and any other damage that might exist but had not yet been documented.  This was a planned shutdown, and because refinery assets are so expensive and heavily relied upon the timing, efficiency, and accuracy of our pipeline inspections are crucial. To miss finding damage such as a plugged or damaged cyclone or converter could mean a blow out or other damage to the plant’s infrastructure and an unplanned shut down of the refinery as well as millions of dollars in lost revenue in a very short period of time.

These were confined space inspections and we often had as little as 30” to work in. The job was expected to take three days with two teams working continuously around the clock. We were able to complete the project a half a day early with just one three man team needed to work 12 hours shifts due to the experience of our inspectors and the level of technology that we have to work with.   The refinery was pleased with the early completion, the quality of the inspections and documentation we provided them.

Atlas Inspection Technologies is now on its way to inspect a converter at another large oil refinery due to a recent blow out – an emergency shutdown.  We have a great reputation in the oil and gas business for providing exceptional service, arriving when and where needed, staying on or ahead of schedule and on or under budget;  that reputation keeps Atlas sought after for video inspections including those for oil and gas refinery inspections.

Whether your refinery uses risk based (RBI) or time based inspection protocols contact Atlas Inspection Technologies to learn more about Atlas’ Inspection Services or to request an Inspection RFQ: 800.281.0650 or 206.774.8704.  Our applications assistants are available 24/7. www.atlas-inspection.com

I’ve been working with and demonstrating, remote visual inspection camera products and services to facilities for a number of years including videoscopes for boiler inspections, push cameras for larger diameter pipe inspections, and Infrared cameras for their thermal imagining.

What surprises me is that  IR Windows still seem to be a new concept to most hospitals.  99% of the hospitals I have been calling on and working with are familiar with most of the remote visual inspection (RVI) technology out there but when it comes to Infrared Windows, they do not know much about them but are intrigued by the possibilities.  All of them are using a thermographer or having their engineers use their own equipment to take scans of their panels to ensure there are not any issues.  They all know what a process this can be and that the effort that goes into scanning is a very important part of the hospital’s life line: POWER. 
I have found that once a hospital or other facility realizes what an IR Window is and what it can do for them, they have immediate interest.   The cost savings, the ability to scan asset critical panels more often, being compliant with NFPA 70E, and putting their employees in a safer environment are just a few of the reasons I am seeing the interest level in installing infrared windows increase.
If you are an engineer or a safety manager who has electrical panels that you would like to look at in a safer way, or faster, or for a better ROI on your energized electrical inspections, let me know.  I understand your needs and can show you our proven and cost effective solutions.  Our main number is 800.281.0650 or 206.774.8704.  You can also visit our website for information on arc flash hazard analysis, infrared windows sales, or our infrared thermography inspection services.

I recently worked with a large freight forwarding company that transports containers from port to port. We had previously worked with this company to install IR Windows throughout the entire vessel. They currently have some of their thermography done by a local thermographer but their engineers wanted to be able to periodically do some scans themselves.

They originally bought a Flir i60 camera but they weren’t getting the image they wanted due to the size of the small IR window they have. We discussed having a larger infrared window installed or using different lenses to be able to capture a wider field of view. I showed them the T400 Flir camera that allows the user to interchange lenses and I used the new Flir 90 degree lens.

We took a few scans and the engineers were very satisfied with the images. It made a world of difference and they were able to see everything they and wanted and MORE due to the wide angle of the lens.

Link to infrared inspection case study to read about an infrared inspection done at a large data center using the new Flir 90 degree FOV Lens with comparison images using 2 other smaller FOV lenses.

I’m available at 206.774.8704 if you have questions about what kind of infrared lens will work best for your application, pricing or need other assistance.

Recently we were called in by a fire sprinkler inspection company to do a remote visual inspection of an apartment complex’s standpipes – the fire department’s outside hook up. The complex included 15 buildings each with its own standpipe and check valve and each needed to be inspected visually in some way other than having the fire sprinkler inspection company dig up the pipes to get the visuals needed. We used a 7/8” push camera and a 6mm IT concepts videoscope to cover the distance needed for the inspection. We were able to easily and clearly capture the visuals that the customer needed of each pipeline and/or check valve and the entire project took only about 4 hours for myself and Eric Sullivan, another Atlas Inspection Technologies inspector, to do all 15 buildings. I have a background in this industry and I can tell you that this was definitely a much superior way to get the visuals needed.

At the end of the inspection we provided the fire sprinkler inspection company with a concise full report that showed images captured in still form via email and DVD formats, as well as video capture where needed. The customer was very pleased and was able to see that they had the visuals they needed for the property owner and fire department.

Just last week I was in a meeting with another fire sprinkler company that was interested in what we had to offer and I was explaining to them about the inspection we just did. He said he wished he would have known about us a couple of weeks before because they had a similar inspection where they had to spend multiple days and multiple workers digging up and inspecting a customer’s standpipes and check valves for blockage. Their job took them a couple days. We could have handled it in couple hours which would have saved their customer quite a bit of money and time. We’ve got that fire sprinkler inspection company’s business for the future.

If you’re needing standpipe, interior check valve inspection or if your insurance company has approved a dry pipe inspection, Atlas Inspection Technologies has the superior inspection solution. Call us at 800.281.0650, 206.774.8704 , visit our website, or email Atlas at info@atlas-inspection.com for more information or a quote.

Hi, I’m Brian Wilson. I am the new Business Development Manager for Industrial Accounts at Atlas Inspection Technologies. Atlas is a great company with a fantastic business model. You can buy, rent, get your repairs done on your remote visual inspection equipment, or hire Atlas to do your inspections. Our extensive line of equipment and top notch technical experts can fill just about any need.

I have been in industrial sales for eight plus years working in the Pacific Northwest. Previously I was with one of the world’s largest manufacturer of videoscopes, and borescopes. I have had the opportunity to work with and build relationships with many different types of customers, from Fortune 500 companies, to military bases, to different Government entities, to small local business built from the ground up. I have assisted or been a part of many different RVI applications and love the fact that every application is different and different obstacles can come up where are tools resolve the problem. I pride myself in understanding what it is the customer needs and applying this to our product offering. I know Atlas Inspection Technologies has a great product line and services that no other company can offer and I am proud to be a part of the team. I hope I can help you in your Remote Visual Inspection questions and needs.

I am looking forward to my new adventure with Atlas Inspection Technologies and I am looking forward to working with you. You can reach me at the Seattle main number at 800.281.0651, or you can call me on my cellular 206-913-3674. My email address is brian.wilson@atlas-inspection.com. If your need involves a borescope, fiberscope, videoscope, push camera or pipe crawler, XRF analyzer, thermal camera, or infrared window, Atlas Inspection Technologies is the place call – we’ll take care of you – I will take care or you!