on KALIPER® 360 Technology
Below we are answering a handful of questions about one of the
innovative products or services offered by T.D. Williamson.
What is KALIPER® 360 technology designed to do?
Does it take a long time to get the run results?
Advanced KALIPER® 360 technology from TDW is
specifically engineered for use in newly constructed pipelines
to provide geometry baseline information, including the
location (o’clock position) of any dents, wrinkles, out-ofroundness or flat spots. The KALIPER® 360 tool is ideal
for inspection of pipelines with diameters ranging from 16
inches (400 mm) to 48 inches (1200 mm).
No. Because this technology relies on integrated
downloadable electronic data, preliminary inspection
reports are available upon completion of field operations.
Comprehensive formal reporting is provided soon thereafter,
often in a matter of hours. Data is presented with tabulated
listings and a dig sheet after analysis by expert personnel.
High sensitivity and high speed data acquisition rates result
in reports that provide high resolution feature and fault
identification, enabling clearer repair decisions to be made
more quickly.
But if a pipeline is new, why does it need to be
inspected?
Even if the greatest care has been taken during all phases of
construction, lines should be checked to make sure they are
free of dents, buckles, wrinkles or ovality. This technology is
used to confirm construction quality, confirm the line is free
of installation defects and identify any needed repairs.
Can a KALIPER® 360 tool be used in a line that is
already in service?
Yes. This technology is also suitable for use in pipelines
currently in the active service of moving liquid, gas,
chemicals or other line-transportable products. The tool is
flexible enough to pass through 25 percent to 35 percent
bore restrictions, and it has proven reliable and accurate
within different pipe wall thicknesses and piping/valve/bend
configurations. It can identify and document anomalies as
small as two percent of internal pipe diameter.
What other inspection technologies does
TDW offer?
TDW also offers high resolution deformation (DEF) tools
for locating, sizing and determining orientation of diameter
reductions or expansions. Magnetic flux leakage (MFL)
tools provide detection and sizing of internal and external
metal loss in liquid lines, and GMFL tools do the same for
gas pipeline environments. Spiral magnetic flux leakage
(SMFL) technology is designed to detect longitudinal defects
in a pipe body or longitudinal weld seam. XYZ Mapping
service provides the precise centerline profile of a pipeline in
latitude, longitude and elevation. l
For more information, visit www.tdwilliamson.com and navigate to Inline Inspection Services.