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Atlas’ FOD retrieval emergency services save plant production time

The challenge

A large U.S. plant faced a night-time emergency, fearing a foreign object was lodged in their pipe. The plant did not have the knowledgeable staff, specialized inspection equipment or adequate tools on site to visualize and retrieve the unidentified device. This situation, if not resolved promptly, would cause mechanical issues in the site’s pumps and provoke immediate breakdowns that could hinder the efficient production of the plant or even shut it down completely for several days, costing the company a lot of money.

The solution

A plant engineer called Atlas Inspection Technologies’ emergency hotline at 11:00 pm local time. Atlas’ live operator put them immediately in touch with a skilled expert who mobilized the right staff and equipment. A team of three experts departed at about 12:15 am from Atlas’ operations center, and after a six-hour drive, arrived on the emergency site at the next morning. After analyzing the situation, Atlas technicians pulled out the necessary inspection equipment, located the foreign object, which happened to be a loose valve stem, and devised a plan to retrieve it using multiple cameras, as well as electro-mechanical grabbers, suction tools, magnets, and snares.

“The creative approach of our team really comes through in these types of situations, so we tried a couple of different techniques to tackle the problem,” explains Darren Billings, President of Atlas Inspection Technologies. “First, we used an explosion-proof camera to visualize the object, found it, and figured out how to take it out. It was located around a corner, so we needed to get the push rod and tool out there. Then we used the vacuum tool with 90-degree suction and positioned it to the edge, rolled the camera over, and sucked the debris out. Because we used the right camera equipment for the application, we happened to also find other debris in the same pipe which the plant staff had not previously detected.”

The business results

Over a period of several days, the Atlas emergency response team remained on site to carry out a full pipe inspection, and retrieved several pounds of additional foreign objects. The Atlas technicians’ ability to accurately evaluate the situation, combined with their deep knowledge of the adequate remote visual inspection tools to use, got the plant up and running again in a matter of days. By retrieving debris remotely, it saved the plant a significant number of expensive outage days, as well as saved them from unnecessarily cutting their pipes.

“Customers can reach us at any hour of the day for any emergency, and count on a timely response,” concludes Billings. “We understand their situation’s requirements, and are able to immediately dispatch with the right inspection equipment and the right staff with user expertise for a successful outcome. These are the reasons why so many industrial sites rely on Atlas after hours."