Deck-launched robotic crawler for in-service hull inspection above and below the waterline.
ORCA is TSC Subsea’s advanced magnetic robotic crawler, deployed as part of our in-service hull inspection solution. Operating above and below the waterline, ORCA enables hull inspection surveys while vessels remain in service at sea.
Using proprietary Acoustic Resonance Technology (ART), ORCA provides quantitative corrosion mapping and wall thickness measurements with sub-millimetre accuracy, supporting more informed hull integrity decisions.
By performing underwater hull integrity assessments without removing vessels from service, ORCA reduces dry-docking requirements and enables more effective maintenance planning.
Launched directly from the deck, ORCA eliminates the need for divers, ROVs, and additional vessel hire, reducing costs while improving safety by minimising personnel exposure in hazardous underwater environments.
TSC Subsea’s team of robotic engineers and experienced Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) technicians, combined with ORCA, deliver comprehensive hull corrosion mapping and weld inspections for floating assets such as FPSOs, cargo ships, and naval vessels.
Unlike traditional methods, ORCA is launched directly from the deck and conducts real-time hull inspections both above and below the waterline while the vessel remains in service.
Powered by our proprietary Acoustic Resonance Technology (ART), this advanced inspection service delivers significant cost savings for ship operators, fleet managers, and vessel owners, while also enabling proactive maintenance planning.
By detecting structural issues well in advance of scheduled dry-docking, ORCA helps optimise repair schedules, minimise downtime, and extend asset lifespan.
Beyond vessel hulls, ORCA’s versatile and robust design, combined with its exceptional manoeuvrability, enables operation in challenging marine and subsea environments, including the splash zone and depths of up to -500 metres.
This makes ORCA an ideal solution for inspecting subsea structures, such as offshore platforms, pipelines, offshore wind monopiles, and floating structures, supporting both the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors.
Key Benefits to ORCA and Robotic Hull Inspections
- Multi-Technology Integration: Supports various NDT methods, including ART, ACFM®, PAUT, and ToFD.
- Real-Time Data Analysis: Provides immediate insights into the structural integrity, leading to informed decision-making.
- Programmable Scan Patterns: along both X and Y axes, operating above and below the waterline.
- Variable Resolution: Fast screening or high-resolution data in a single deployment.
- “Big Data”: capturing up to 1 million thickness readings per square metre.
Why Choose Acoustic Resonance Technology (ART)
- ART and Phased Array both use ultrasound technology, but ART operates at lower frequencies and offers a wider bandwidth, enabling it to penetrate coatings that Phased Array cannot.
- ART is a non-contact method that is more tolerable to surface conditions and marine growth.
- Capable of obtaining WT data through highly attenuative and antifouling coatings to an accuracy of +/- 0.22mm.
- Corrosion mapping of external and internal surfaces.
- Detect coating disbondment & degradation.
- Geometry measurements for assessing dents, gouging and other anomalies.
Lloyds Validation of ART
Scope of Validation: Application of Acoustic Resonance Technology (ART) to perform quantitative Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement (UTM) for both internal and external corrosion defects of ship hull carbon steel plate through coating.
Sample ART Data
Targeted Corrosion Mapping: ART can detect and map corrosion on both external and internal surfaces of hull structures, providing a complete picture of asset integrity without the need to remove protective coatings.
ORCA System Features
- Semi-Autonomous Operation: Programmable scan patterns enable efficient large-area inspections.
- Magnetically Adheres: Four independently driven, potted magnetic wheels for secure attachment.
- Omnidirectional Movement: Mecanum wheels allow seamless multi-directional navigation.
- Coating-Friendly Wheels: prevent damage to the inspection surface.
- Additional Motors: allow for probe head and sensor array manipulation, adapting to specific applications.
- Customisable Resolution: Adjustable settings to meet specific client requirements.
- High-Resolution Imaging: Multiple cameras for navigation and close visual inspection (CVI).
- Wide Scan Coverage: 1200 mm (47 in) scan width, customisable upon request.
- Modular System: Easily expandable with additional components for varied inspection needs.
NDT Technology Options
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Case Studies
Transforming FPSO Hull Inspections: A Cost-Effective, In-Service Solution
A major offshore operator approached TSC Subsea to provide an efficient and cost-effective solution for in-water hull inspections. The objective was to collect wall thickness measurements below the waterline to generate a corrosion map for the hull of an FPSO.
4” of Coating no Match for ART and ARTEMIS
The purpose of the inspection was to measure effective steel thickness through 4 inches of pipeline insulations made of Glass syntactic polypropylene and injection moulded polypropylene. Scanning operations were carried out at 2000 meters water depth.
Subsea Pipelines Dent Mapping and Ovality Assessment
TSC Subsea received a request to conduct a wall thickness measurement inspection and ovality/dent assessments on a 16-inch (406 mm) subsea gas pipeline, accompanied by a 2-inch (50 mm) piggyback pipeline.
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