Ships and cargo vessels are the most cost effective way of transporting people and bulk goods around the world. Structural failure is a major cause of the wreckage of ships, resulting in loss of life and pollution of seas and coastal waters. For this reason, ships must be inspected regularly for any signs that structural failure may be imminent.
These inspections are currently carried out manually in "dry docks" by operators working in hazardous conditions. However, automated systems are currently being developed. These will be housed inside a robotic crawler, as shown in the concept drawing below:
MSS has recently developed magnetic wheels which enable these crawlers to be adhered to the metal surface which is to be inspected.
This assembly usually consists of a Neodymium Iron Boron magnet array with steel pole pieces to concentrate the flux. However, in marine environments, the salt quickly corrodes the iron content of the magnet. This can be overcome by using 400 grade stainless steel pole pieces and samarium cobalt magnets, both of which are completely corrosion resistant. The pictured assembly also includes knurled pole pieces for added grip.
Although these systems are commonly used for ship hull inspection, they can also be used to inspect oil and gas pipelines, large metal storage tanks and a variety of other metal structrures.
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