Aries Industries introduced the company’s PM6000 side-scanning sewer and drainline inspection camera system at the 2013 Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo held Feb. 25-28 in Indianapolis, Ind. More than 8,418 people representing 3,730 companies attended the annual event geared toward professionals in the septic, sewer cleaning and portable sanitation industry.

The PM6000 system is designed to provide municipalities and contractors with an adaptable, cost-effective solution generating flat view and video inspection images. According to Aries Chief Technology Officer Mike McGrew, the system improves productivity with rapid inspections and accurate, detailed condition assessments. The prospect of increased efficiency caused many Expo attendees to take note.

“I’d say the PM6000 went over extremely well at the Expo,” says McGrew. “We put a year and a half into the research and development of this product, and were pretty excited to have it at the Expo. A lot of the people I talked to were intrigued by the time it could potentially save doing sewer and drainline inspections.”

The camera provides simultaneous full-motion video and lay-flat inspection images using a virtual pan-and-tilt display. It is designed for high-resolution inspection of lined 6-inch and larger sewer and drainlines. The system is plug-in compatible with existing Aries systems and fits on several types of Aries tractor transporters designed for use in multiple environments. McGrew pointed out that the system integrates easily with industry-standard software and has several other features that make it efficient for use in inspection and repair operations.

“With traditional pan-and-tilt camera systems, operators slowly inspect lines, stopping to examine each defect one at a time to create a record, which takes substantial time and creates possible inconsistencies,” says McGrew. “With the PM6000, the operator just sets the camera on the tractor and lets it inspect the whole pipe. The entire video is processed to provide an easy-to-read, lay-flat view of the inside of the pipeline, making defects simple to spot. One technician can handle the entire process.”

The system integrates easily to multi-conductor or single-conductor Aries systems, and captures industry-standard NTSC high-definition video files for full motion viewing. The lack of moving camera parts also improves reliability.

“It’s a great combination of our new and existing hardware and software,” says McGrew. “The camera is higher resolution than we’ve ever used before, and the software is cutting-edge, so the final record is extremely accurate. Between that and no longer having to treat the pipeline defect by defect, municipalities and contractors will see a big increase in consistency and productivity.”

McGrew said that several of Aries Industries’ longtime customers were excited to see the PM6000 prototype in Indianapolis.

“A few knew we’ve been working on a side-scanning camera, and our booth was the first place they stopped in Indy,” says McGrew. “We sold several units right there at the show, and have many other interested parties to follow up with. We were excited to gauge the reaction from the crowd, and it actually exceeded our expectations. Everyone in our Indy crew is pleased.” 800/234-7205; www.ariesindustries.com.