Foreign Material Exclusion programs are part of safe operating precedure at any industrial plant. Infortunately, sometimes loose parts, foreign material, tools and other potentially hazardus objects find their way into industrial systems. Traditionally, plant engineers have had to resort to cutting lines or dissembling equipment in order to gain access to difficult to reach areas and remove the offending object. Cutting lines open and disembling indutrial systems is expensive, times consumming and delays a plants ability to quickly return to operation.
Industrial Retrieval Tools
Foreign object search and retrieval tools are part of any sound remote visual inspection program. Engineers are able to locate foreign objects deep within their plant and remove them in an efficient manner using these tools. Foreign object retrieval tools include: snares, alligator jaws, magnets and hooks. These tools can be attached to the outside of a borescope or pushed to more distant locations with push poles and a pipe inspection camera. Dropped parts and foreign objects can be retrieved from as far away as 200 feet.
Click here to view a video of a Foreign Object Retrieval at Power Plant
About Paul Fitzgerald
Paul C. Fitzgerald, President and CEO, Advanced Inspection Technologies Inc. has been involved in the remote visual inspection industry (RVI), Since leaving the US Marines in 1992.
He has a background in business with an economics degree from the University of Rochester and an MBA from Florida Metropolitan University. He served in the United States Marine Corps as an artillery officer. Mr. Fitzgerald is a veteran of Desert Storm.
Mr. Fitzgerald began his remote visual inspection career with Schott Fiber Optics where he was responsible for sales throughout the southeastern United States. He was a founding member of Everest Imaging (later GE Inspection Technologies) in 1996 and took on responsibility for sales in Florida and the Caribbean. Mr. Fitzgerald founded Advanced Inspection Technologies in 2008 to offer remote visual inspection solutions throughout North America.
His background and experience have given him an excellent overview of the remote visual inspection industry. He has years of experience with RVI applications across multiple industries, applications and geographical areas using a wide variety of available instruments and technology. Now Mr. Fitzgerald is able to share his knowledge and experience through this Blog.
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