Toshiba Group develops inspection technology for plant facilities and equipment in high and inaccessible places
20/02/2020
Toshiba Corporation and Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (ESS), companies dedicated to providing industry with solutions that raise operational efficiency and productivity, have developed a drone-based inspection technology for complex industrial locations, such as power plants, oil refineries and chemical manufacture facilities. The new solution comprises 3D laser measurement technology, a drone-mounted video camera, optimised flight route creation technology for the drone and image recognition technology to identify the condition of plant structures and check for signs of fatigue and deterioration. The process removes the need for people to carry out perilous inspections in dangerous places and Toshiba and ESS are currently refining the technology to application level through verification testing in Japan.Many of Japan’s plants and facilities were built during a period of high economic growth. After some 50 years of operation, they are increasingly in need of inspections that can identify problems and be used to plan measures to deal with structural deterioration, corrosion in pipes and other results of ageing. Other problems include the difficulty of securing sufficient numbers of qualified people to carry out inspections and ensuring their safety and efficient deployment; this is made all the more pressing by a shortage of younger workers and the ageing of the current generation of inspectors.
The first step involves the use of 3D laser measurement technology developed by Toshiba Plant Systems & Services Corporation. This technology measures and maps the entire facility and reproduces it in 3D in cyberspace. Toshiba’s production simulation technologies are then applied to the facility to create an optimised inspection flight route for the drone. The drone flies the route autonomously and video records the facility. The images of the physical space are then accurately mapped onto the 3D image in cyberspace.
The next step is to use image analysis technology developed by Toshiba to detect and identify degraded locations. Periodic inspections can track structural changes over time and be used to estimate future deterioration.
Toshiba and ESS have tested the system at a boiler facility, including sections that are temporarily out of service, at Mikawa Power Plant in Omuta, Fukuoka Prefecture, which is operated by Sigma Power Ariake Corporation, a subsidiary of ESS. The whole process was successfully verified, including 3D reproduction of the facility, and the system was able to detect deterioration, such as rust on the structure.
Toshiba Group aims to become one of the world’s leading cyber-physical systems (CPS) technology companies by combining knowledge and capabilities accumulated over years of experience in a wide range of businesses, from infrastructure to electronic devices, with its strengths in digital and artificial intelligence (AI) information processing technologies. It will contribute to the resolution of social problems with the Group’s cyber and physical technologies.
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