Inspection robot in a pipe with a diameter of 400 mm

HYDRO boasts extensive expertise in inspecting wells and penstocks. This expertise covers both the logistics necessary to guarantee the safety of the inspectors and the know‑how of these inspectors who work on numerous structures every year. Conventional inspections are possible down to a diameter of 800 mm but become more complex, or are even prohibited, below a diameter of 600 mm. To meet the needs linked to these small diameters, HYDRO has acquired an inspection robot.

A single intervention without dismantling any pipes

This robot was deployed during the inspection of the Täschbach penstock, which belongs to EW Zermatt and which has a diameter of 400 mm, is approximately 850 m long and has very few bends. It allowed the inspection to be conducted in a single operation and without dismantling any intermediate pipes, despite the presence of silt making the descent slippery.

A rope for a potential extraction

Communications between the remote control and the device were transmitted effectively by the steel along the entire length of the pipe. A rope ensured that the robot was always secure, controlling its speed and progress while allowing it to be extracted if this should be necessary. Equipped with integrated lighting, the high-resolution camera provided precise documentation of the internal condition of the structure.

HYDRO, expert in complex inspections

With this acquisition, HYDRO has reasserted its desire to incorporate cutting-edge robotic solutions in order to meet the increasingly stringent demands of complex hydraulic infrastructures which are difficult to access, thereby opening new perspectives for its customers and its facilities.