PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Date: November 5, 2015

Contact:
Eric Yates,
Sales Manager
Newton Labs
425-251-9600
eyates@newtonlabs.com

Underwater Tank Inspection

Underwater Tank Inspection

Seattle, Washington and San Antonio, Texas - – November 5, 2015

Newton Labs and IHI Southwest Technologies Use the Inspector Robotic Inspection System to Examine Filled Water Tank at U.S. Nuclear Plant

IHI Southwest Technologies and Newton Labs successfully deployed the Inspector robot to examine a filled condensate storage tank at a major U.S. nuclear generating station in order to fulfill a Nuclear Energy Institute requirement. “IHI Southwest is proud to complete another successful tank examination using the Inspector robot in order to meet the requirements of NEI 09-14” said Steve Todd, IHI Southwest President. Todd continued by saying, “The NDE exam carried out while the tank was full produced comprehensive results and saved facility managers time and money that would otherwise have been spent to drain the tank prior to inspection.” Plant officials authorized the deployment of an Inspector-series underwater robotic system developed and operated by the partnership of IHI Southwest Technologies, Inc. (IHI) and Newton Labs (Newton.

The survey yielded the most comprehensive and accurate data currently available for a bottom inspection of a filled condensate tank and meets the requirements of NEI 09-14 for inspection of water storage tanks. The IHI and Newton robotic inspection system that was deployed utilized a combination of phased array sensors to produce an extremely precise defect map of more than 90% of the bottom plates.

Unlike the inconsistency of manual inspections, often resulting in operator-induced error, the concise and uniform methodology of the semi-autonomous robotic search pattern enables the sensors to locate and map defects in the tank bottom that may cause the loss of hazardous material. The Inspector robot was also successfully deployed at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station and has been featured in Power Magazine, Nuclear Plant Journal and the Nuclear Engineering International.For further information on the Inspector and service availability contact Steve Todd at IHI Southwest Technologies, (210) 256-4100.

About Newton Labs

Seattle based Newton Labs is a privately held manufacturer of machine vision, robotics, laser scanners and optical automation. Newton's products are designed to allow the quality, efficiency and cost effectiveness of computer technology to replace the human element in virtually every industry. Newton Labs has deployed more than 30,000 machine vision, robotic, laser scanners and automation systems worldwide.

About IHI Southwest

San Antonio based IHI Southwest Technologies, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of IHI Corporation of Japan. IHI was formed in June 1999 as a spin-off from the NDE Services Department of Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). IHI’s staff consists of qualified, experienced engineering and examination personnel. All of IHI’s examiners are trained, qualified, and certified in the appropriate methods and on the applicable equipment in accordance with IHI procedures and client specific guidelines. IHI maintains a full-time staff of NDE examiners, which allows us to maintain the level of quality and productivity vital to the success and cost-effectiveness of our programs at plants around the world.