EP0547685A1 - Appareil à contrôle à distance pour l'inspection et autres travaux sur une structure - Google Patents

Appareil à contrôle à distance pour l'inspection et autres travaux sur une structure Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0547685A1
EP0547685A1 EP92203851A EP92203851A EP0547685A1 EP 0547685 A1 EP0547685 A1 EP 0547685A1 EP 92203851 A EP92203851 A EP 92203851A EP 92203851 A EP92203851 A EP 92203851A EP 0547685 A1 EP0547685 A1 EP 0547685A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
carriage
arm
accordance
frame
powered
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP92203851A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Kjartan Vartdal
Per Sundal
Steinar Lovaas
Morten Rasmussen
Ingvar Vik
Hakon Haugland
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Norsk Hydro ASA
Original Assignee
Norsk Hydro Technology BV
Norsk Hydro ASA
Norsk Hydro Technology AS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Norsk Hydro Technology BV, Norsk Hydro ASA, Norsk Hydro Technology AS filed Critical Norsk Hydro Technology BV
Publication of EP0547685A1 publication Critical patent/EP0547685A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
    • B63C11/00—Equipment for dwelling or working underwater; Means for searching for underwater objects
    • B63C11/52—Tools specially adapted for working underwater, not otherwise provided for
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
    • B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
    • B63G8/001—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
    • E02B17/00—Artificial islands mounted on piles or like supports, e.g. platforms on raisable legs or offshore constructions; Construction methods therefor
    • E02B17/0034—Maintenance, repair or inspection of offshore constructions
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
    • B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
    • B63G8/001—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations
    • B63G2008/002—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations unmanned
    • B63G2008/005—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations unmanned remotely controlled

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns a remotely operated apparatus for inspection of and/or other work on a structure, building or the like.
  • the invention is particularly intended for use in connection with welded joints on underwater parts of an offshore platform, but is also intended for use in connection with welded joints and other structural details of a ship, a building or for example a space vessel.
  • Remotely operated vehicles are used for work on and around underwater parts of an offshore platform or rig.
  • Such vehicles may be equipped with a manipulator arm which is operated from a remote control device.
  • the vehicles In the course of the work, the vehicles must constantly be moved to new working positions.
  • the vehicles are equipped with wheels, caterpillar belts etc. and are held in position with magnets, vacuum, mechanical devices or the like.
  • British Patent Application No. 2.182.898 shows a remotely operated vehicle mounted on arms which extend around the circumference of a pipe.
  • the mobility of the vehicle is very restricted, since it can only move along pipes or other longitudinally-oriented, pipe-like structures.
  • British Patent Application No. 2.161.040 further describes a vehicle which moves by means of rollers and which is kept in place by propeller devices; and
  • PCT Patent Application No. WO 84/04733 shows a vehicle which moves and is kept in place by movable electromagnets.
  • US Patent Application No. 4.720.213 shows an apparatus for the inspection and cleaning of welds on underwater structures which include pipe-shaped structural parts.
  • the apparatus consists of a U-shaped bearing structure designed to be attached to and removed from the pipe-shaped structural parts.
  • a rotating carriage is mounted on the U-shaped structure and is equipped with two manipulator arms designed to carry the required inspection or cleaning equipment.
  • manipulator arms are inaccurate, since they consist of several components and many elements with an imprecise control system, and cannot be used for inspection equipment which requires great accuracy of placing and replicability of the action involved (i.e. the ability to carry out identical inspections at a later juncture).
  • No practical application has therefore been found for the equipment described in the above-cited US Patent Application.
  • Today therefore, in all essentials, manual manpower - for example, divers in the case of underwater structures - is used for inspections requiring a high degree of accuracy.
  • a further object has been to design such an apparatus so that it can carry out the operations in question, especially inspection and testing with a considerably higher degree of accuracy and thus a more reliable degree of detection than can be obtained with existing remotely operated vehicles and equipment.
  • the invention is characterized by having a support frame which is designed to be attached to, and to move on, the surface of a structure on which a working operation is to be carried out; an arm which is arranged to rotate on the frame in both main directions relative to the frame; a steering carriage mounted so it can rotate on the forward end of the arm; a means of pressing the carriage down on to the surface; means of moving and controlling the movement of the carriage on the surface; and a tool mounted on the carriage for carrying out the required working operation on the structure, as defined in the appended Claim 1.
  • Figures 1 and 2 thus show an example of the invention in the form of an item of equipment or apparatus 1 consisting of a support frame 2 designed to move on and to be removed from a surface; an extended arm 4 which in this case extends through the support frame 2; and a steering carriage 5 connected with the arm 4 such that it is able to rotate (for example by means of a pivot) and designed to accommodate and bear at least one operative device 6.
  • the support frame 2 consists of a device 18 - for example, a suction cup attachment or magnets - designed to hold the support frame 2 in a required position on a surface in relation to an area - for example a weld - which is to be inspected.
  • the steering carriage 5 is equipped with a controllable steering wheel 7 on the front part and two wheels 8, 9 on the back part allowing the carriage to manoeuvre.
  • the carriage is pressed against the surface by the arm 4 which is in turn spring-loaded (not shown).
  • the carriage 5 may also alternatively be pressed against the surface by magnets, by a propeller device or the like, mounted on the carriage.
  • the arm 4 may for example be straight and designed in one piece, telescopic or in several parts (articulated).
  • the arm 4 is formed in one piece and movably mounted in the support frame 2.
  • the arm 4 is mounted so it can rotate in both main directions as indicated by the arrows 19 and 20 in Figure 2.
  • An electrically or hydraulically operated motor 13 is mounted in or on the support frame 2 and is designed to extend or retract the arm 4 in relation to the frame 2.
  • the motor 13 may be furnished with a friction wheel or toothed wheel 15 which engages with a frictional surface or toothed bar (not shown) respectively on the arm 4.
  • the controllable steering wheel 7 is turned by a joystick (not shown in the drawings) by means of an electrical or hydraulic actuator or motor 12.
  • the same joystick controls the operation of the motor 13 which extends and retracts the arm 4.
  • the movement of the arm 4 and thus the speed of the steering carriage 5 are proportional to the displacement forward or back of the joystick, while the turning of the steering wheel 7 is proportional to the transverse displacement of the joystick.
  • the arm 4 it would further be appropriate for the arm 4 to be equipped with limit switches (not shown in the drawings) which are able to stop the further operation of the motor 13 to prevent full extension of the arm.
  • the wheels 7, 8 and 9 may be furnished with sharp peripheral edges to achieve sufficient contact with the surface 3. It should however be remarked that the wheels of the steering carriage 5 may be furnished with other means of contact - for example rubber rings or the like.
  • the steering carriage is equipped with a tool in the form of an eddy-current probe 6 for the inspection of a weld.
  • Figure 2 shows two probes 6, one on each side of the carriage).
  • the probe is mounted in a probe holder 10, mounted in turn on the steering carriage 5.
  • the probe holder is designed to ensure an even contact pressure between the actual probe 6 and the weld surface, regardless of the position of the probe 6.
  • the probe holder 10 must provide the probe 6 with the steadiest possible motion by preventing the probe from "catching" or moving in a rut because of irregularities in the surface.
  • the probe holder 10 is also designed such that the probes are replaceable. To achieve the best possible access with the probes to confined spaces - for example between stays which cross each other at acute angles (down to 30°) - it is important that the probe holder 10 has a low construction height in the transverse direction.
  • the steering carriage 5 is in the embodiment illustrated designed to guide the probe 6 and the holder 10 at a constant speed along the weld.
  • the length of a scan with the probe 6 once the steering carriage has been positioned could appropriately be about 50 cm.
  • the steering carriage 5 must ensure that the probe 6 always remains in contact with the surface and maintains the required orientation in relation to the weld surface. To achieve this, the probe must at all times be oriented satisfactorily in relation to all its 6 degrees of freedom.
  • the degrees of freedom of the probe 6 can be controlled actively during a scan, passively or by pre-setting them at a fixed level.
  • Figure 2 shows that the probe is suspended in a spring device 21 in the holder 10 and can be turned by means of an electric or hydraulic actuator or motor 14. No further details of the control of the degrees of freedom of the probe are shown.
  • the movement of the carriage is monitored by means of a video display unit (not shown) which is connected to a camera mounted either on the steering carriage 5 or on the frame 2.
  • the main axis of the camera should be almost parallel with the weld or the area which is to be inspected or on which work is to be done, and the camera must be able to "see” the probe and the weld or the working area throughout the working operation.
  • the steering carriage 5 is connected with the arm 4 so as to rotate by means of a link 11.
  • the link 11 must be able to maintain the steering carriage 5 in the required position and with the required orientation. Its must provide a satisfactorily firm, rigid attachment such that the control carriage 5 and the probe 6 operate as required during the desired job or scan.
  • the steering carriage 5 is furnished with three wheels: a guide wheel 7 in front and support wheels 8, 9 at the back. This ensures that the carriage rolls and stands steady on the surface even when the surface is uneven or has a convex or double-convex shape.
  • the frame 2 is similarly furnished with three supporting legs 16.
  • the apparatus as described in the present application is used and functions as follows.
  • the apparatus with its frame 2, arm 4 and steering carriage 5 are positioned on a structure - for example, a jacket frame for an offshore platform - by means of a remotely operated undersea vessel or the like. It is here assumed that the carriage 5 is equipped with an eddy-current probe 6 and that it is to test a weld zone between crossed pipe stays 3, 17 on the jacket frame.
  • the frame 2 is therefore positioned on the pipe stay 3, close to the stay 17.
  • An operator on board a ship or platform, in a control room or the like can, by means of a video display unit, see the carriage 5 and steer it, first up to the weld and then along it, with a joystick as described above.
  • the movement of the carriage 5 is produced by the arm 4, axially driven in relation to the frame 2, and the carriage is steered by means of the front guide wheel 7.
  • the length of the weld area which can be inspected will be limited by the possible extension of the arm 4, or the radius of curvature of the stay 17, inasmuch as the arm 4 can touch the stay and prevent the further movement of the carriage before the arm has reached full extension if the stay has a small radius of curvature.
  • the frame When the weld area has been inspected, the frame may be moved to a new position and a new area may subsequently be inspected. In this way successive inspections may be made of welds over long distances.
  • the frame instead of being equipped with supporting legs 16, may be equipped with powered wheels and may itself be remotely operated.
  • the steering carriage instead of being powered by the arm 4, may be self-powered.
  • this may as mentioned above be in the form of a rigid, straight bar as shown in the figures, or it may be articulated or telescopically designed. If it is telescopically designed, it would be most appropriate to use pneumatic or hydraulic power of a kind similar to that used for a piston/cylinder device.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Manipulator (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analyzing Materials By The Use Of Magnetic Means (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analyzing Materials By The Use Of Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
  • Monitoring And Testing Of Nuclear Reactors (AREA)
  • Harvester Elements (AREA)
EP92203851A 1991-12-16 1992-12-10 Appareil à contrôle à distance pour l'inspection et autres travaux sur une structure Withdrawn EP0547685A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NO914950A NO173924C (no) 1991-12-16 1991-12-16 Fjernstyrt inspeksjons- og arbeidsapparat
NO914950 1991-12-16

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0547685A1 true EP0547685A1 (fr) 1993-06-23

Family

ID=19894692

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP92203851A Withdrawn EP0547685A1 (fr) 1991-12-16 1992-12-10 Appareil à contrôle à distance pour l'inspection et autres travaux sur une structure

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0547685A1 (fr)
CA (1) CA2085091A1 (fr)
NO (1) NO173924C (fr)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1905688A2 (fr) * 2006-09-12 2008-04-02 U.W.G. Limited Inspection visuelle sous l'eau
WO2010002273A1 (fr) * 2008-07-02 2010-01-07 Linjebygg Offshore As Appareil pour des opérations en zone d'éclaboussement
EP2762401A4 (fr) * 2011-09-26 2015-07-22 Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd Appareil mobile d'inspection sous l'eau et équipement d'inspection sous l'eau
NO20180975A1 (en) * 2018-07-11 2020-01-13 Oceantech Innovation As Portable, controllable and autonomous subsea weld inspection tool
EP3594676A1 (fr) * 2018-07-09 2020-01-15 Westerton Access Limited Procédé et système d'inspection de soudure sous-marine

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2831395A1 (de) * 1978-07-17 1980-01-31 Kraftwerk Union Ag Pruefeinrichtung zur zerstoerungsfreien pruefung
GB2119679A (en) * 1982-05-11 1983-11-23 Donald Graham Brown Device for performing surface operations
US4502407A (en) * 1982-04-12 1985-03-05 Shell Oil Company Method and apparatus for cleaning, viewing and documenting the condition of weldments on offshore platforms
DE3916061A1 (de) * 1989-05-17 1990-11-22 Siemens Ag Vorrichtung und verfahren zur pruefung einer behaelterwand

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2831395A1 (de) * 1978-07-17 1980-01-31 Kraftwerk Union Ag Pruefeinrichtung zur zerstoerungsfreien pruefung
US4502407A (en) * 1982-04-12 1985-03-05 Shell Oil Company Method and apparatus for cleaning, viewing and documenting the condition of weldments on offshore platforms
GB2119679A (en) * 1982-05-11 1983-11-23 Donald Graham Brown Device for performing surface operations
DE3916061A1 (de) * 1989-05-17 1990-11-22 Siemens Ag Vorrichtung und verfahren zur pruefung einer behaelterwand

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
TECHNISCHE RUNDSCHAU vol. 82, no. 19, 11 May 1990, BERN,CH pages 36 - 40 E.AUST 'Der Mensch stösst an Grenzen' *

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1905688A2 (fr) * 2006-09-12 2008-04-02 U.W.G. Limited Inspection visuelle sous l'eau
EP1905688A3 (fr) * 2006-09-12 2009-01-07 U.W.G. Limited Inspection visuelle sous l'eau
WO2010002273A1 (fr) * 2008-07-02 2010-01-07 Linjebygg Offshore As Appareil pour des opérations en zone d'éclaboussement
EP3398847A1 (fr) * 2011-09-26 2018-11-07 Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Appareil d'inspection mobile sous-marine et équipement d'inspection sous-marine
US9511831B2 (en) 2011-09-26 2016-12-06 Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Underwater mobile inspection apparatus and underwater inspection equipment
US9776695B2 (en) 2011-09-26 2017-10-03 Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Underwater mobile inspection apparatus and underwater inspection equipment
EP2762401A4 (fr) * 2011-09-26 2015-07-22 Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd Appareil mobile d'inspection sous l'eau et équipement d'inspection sous l'eau
US10450041B2 (en) 2011-09-26 2019-10-22 Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Underwater mobile inspection apparatus and underwater inspection equipment
EP3677499A1 (fr) * 2011-09-26 2020-07-08 Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Appareil d'inspection mobile sous-marine et équipement d'inspection sous-marine
US10967943B2 (en) 2011-09-26 2021-04-06 Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Underwater mobile inspection apparatus and underwater inspection equipment
EP3594676A1 (fr) * 2018-07-09 2020-01-15 Westerton Access Limited Procédé et système d'inspection de soudure sous-marine
NO20180975A1 (en) * 2018-07-11 2020-01-13 Oceantech Innovation As Portable, controllable and autonomous subsea weld inspection tool
NO344914B1 (en) * 2018-07-11 2020-06-29 Oceantech Innovation As Portable, controllable and autonomous subsea weld inspection tool

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NO173924C (no) 1994-03-02
NO914950D0 (no) 1991-12-16
CA2085091A1 (fr) 1993-06-17
NO914950L (no) 1993-06-17
NO173924B (no) 1993-11-15

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