Underground Construction - March 2022 - 33

It's no secret that utility inspection equipment
is an investment. While the camera
and transporter make the inspection happen,
the cable is the lifeline. When considering
what cable to use, it is important
to keep in mind that the higher the break
strength, the lower the chances the cable
will break, leaving equipment in the pipe.
Selecting a cable with high break
strength and abrasion resistance saves
additional time, money and resources
needed to retrieve equipment due to a
broken cable. It also gives peace of mind
knowing that valuable equipment will be
returned at the end of the day.
Even with high abrasion resistance
and break strength, cable wear and damage
can occur when working in unknown
conditions. Therefore, it is important to
choose a cable that can be reterminated
in the field. Conversely, having to ship
equipment back to the manufacturer for
repairs or specialized tools, will inevitably
increase downtime.
How can setup and teardown
time be reduced?
Inspectors are only getting paid while
inspecting. Setup and teardown are key
factors when considering any equipment
for a job, in order to gain efficiencies
during this time.
When an inspector pulls up to the
job the first thing to do is position the
vehicle in accordance with local governance
to not impede traffic, but close
enough for a successful launch into the
pipe. The next step is to identify the
diameter of the pipe and configure the
transporter accordingly.
Once the configuration is complete,
connect the cable to the camera and
transporter. At this point, cautiously insert
the equipment into the pipe to begin
the inspection and start getting paid.
When an inspection is complete, it's
time to exit the pipe and begin teardown.
If the transporter is capable, select freewheel
and utilize the cable winch to
efficiently retract the equipment. Once
topside, simply wash down the cable
and equipment, and disconnect the
cable from the camera and transporter,
before securing the equipment for the
drive to the next job.
By gaining efficiencies during setup
and teardown, inspectors can increase
time on the job and, ultimately, profitability.
Does
the equipment have
multifunction capabilities?
Multifunction capabilities allow the camera
and transporter to function simultaneously
so pipe inspection can continue
while driving, increasing productivity.
With multifunction capabilities, like pan,
tilt and zoom, the pipe can also be inspected
quickly. If anything questionable
is viewed, the process can be stopped
and focused on the area of concern.
Right equipment
For every inspection, regardless of
specific conditions and needs, equipment
must be able to excel, even in the
toughest jobs. Combining high-quality,
robust equipment with answers to the
questions above leads to quickly and
efficiently assessing pipe conditions and
determining the appropriate course of
action - whether that be maintenance
or rehabilitation.
Ultimately, that ensures the underground
infrastructure the community
depends on is reliable. *
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patrick Iyonsi
is the utility inspection systems product manager
for Subsite
UCONonline.com | MARCH 2022
33
http://www.UCONonline.com
Underground Construction - March 2022

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