Crawler Offers Continuous Track, One-Piece Design

Model 636-S from TV Ferret

The Model 636-S steerable stainless steel pan-and-tilt inspection camera and crawler from TV Ferret is designed to inspect 6- to 36-inch pipes. The one- piece submersible unit has a solid tube end-cap design to prevent leakage.

The 6-inch steerable crawler has a continuous knobbed urethane track for added traction. “It’s set up like a tank,” says company owner Rich von Ahn. “With a track system, you always have some sort of surface contact, whereas with a six-wheel design, you have gaps between the wheels. And if you have an offset joint you can maneuver over it better with the track.”

Full differential steering enables the crawler to rotate on its axis. The stainless steel articulating cable receptor alleviates stress on the main cable and is designed for quick, easy connection without tools. Measuring 26 inches long and weighing 45 pounds, the crawler is shorter and lighter than previous models for easier manhole entry and better maneuverability around tight curves.

One power switch turns the entire system on. “The controls are designed to prevent blowing your lights or blowing a motor,” says von Ahn. “This prevents operator error. You’re talking industrial equipment. The name of the game is it’s got to be tough.”

Two independent, permanent magnet motors propel the all-gear-drive train. A modular lift-wheel system attaches to the outside of the crawler for inspecting larger pipe. The pan-and-tilt camera head has ultra-bright LEDs that can illuminate a 12-foot pipe and can rotate 360 degrees with 300 degrees of pan viewing ability.

The camera offers 470 lines of resolution and has 1.0 lux sensitivity and an auto iris for a brighter image. Options include an industry-standard 512 Hz locating sonde, rear viewing backup camera, internal-pressure monitor, pan-tilt-zoom camera, and abrasive high-traction lift wheels. 518/399-2211; www.tvferret.com.



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