Robotic Technology That Can Help Save Our Infrastructure!

Bureau Veritas Announces Partnership Agreement with Infraspect that Introduces Revolutionary Robotics Technology for the Inspection of Aging Infrastructure

NEW YORK, Jan. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) services, announced it has entered into an exclusive partnership agreement in North America with Infraspect (Infraspect), a complex bridge and infrastructure inspection, non-destructive testing, and robotics engineering company.

Through this partnership, Bureau Veritas will deliver innovative robotics and technology inspection solutions in the US and Canada that integrate into the company’s global buildings and infrastructure portfolio.

Extending The Service Life of Infrastructure Worldwide. 

An industry first, Bureau Veritas inspectors will utilize the power of the robotics technology developed by Infraspect to determine the condition and deterioration of bridges, roadways, and infrastructure to better protect public safety, reduce costs, better budget for maintenance and repairs, as well as prolong a structure’s life expectancy through early detection and repair.  

Delivering the inspection capabilities through the use of robotics allows the inspections to be completed without lane closures, without exposing workers to dangerous conditions, with much higher efficiency, and at a reduced cost. 

“Bureau Veritas’ testing and inspection services have been enhanced by the addition of Infraspect’s innovative robotics technologies by offering a broader, more robust portfolio of solutions that help customers better monitor the progression of deterioration and proactively address areas of concern,” said Jorge Hercules, Vice President, Transport and Infrastructure- Bureau Veritas North America. “We are excited to push the boundaries of innovation as we deliver the most advanced TIC solutions to our Buildings and Infrastructure clients worldwide.”

“As our business continues to grow, this exclusive partnership gives Infraspect the opportunity to disrupt manual & subjective inspection methods currently in use globally with quantitative data that can help asset owners worldwide better allocate budgets to manage maintenance and repairs.

Utilizing robotic technology is safer for both inspectors and the traveling public and has a lower cost for asset owners and taxpayers alike. “We look forward to working with Bureau Veritas and their clients as we combine their 200-year legacy, expertise, and global reach with our robotics technology, to revolutionize testing and inspection services in the buildings and infrastructure industry.”

Updating 50-year-old Manual Inspections with Robotics and Technology

The full suite of robotics and technology tools developed by Infraspect will be leveraged by Bureau Veritas inspectors for the following services:

• BridgeScan®: Bridge deck and roadway condition assessment service, utilizing innovative Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) technologies and robotics to locate and quantify concrete or asphalt deterioration, delamination and debonding, cover thickness, rebar patterns, and sizing location and monitoring of deterioration progression, and more.
• CableScan®: Robotic cable-stay bridge inspections that couple electromagnetic testing technology with high-definition video inspection capabilities to detect corrosion, broken wires, loss of section in the cable, and physical damage to the cable sheathing.

•  PoleScan®: Robotic High Mass Light Pole Inspections that take high-definition videos of High Mast Light poles and their components, allowing inspectors to remotely see imperfections in the weld seams, coating, and luminaries.
• PoleScan®-R: Robotic High Mast Light Pole repair bot that climbs the High Mast Light Pole sands rust areas and paints coats over them without lane closures or man-lifts.

• RopeScan®: Robotic Wire rope inspections that utilize robotics and magnetic flux leakage to identify section loss or broken wires along with the video to locate surface damages. Utilizing RopeScan® will minimize lane closures and the use of bucket trucks. Uses include bridge cables, crane cables, flare stack guy wires, mining cables, and more.
•  RopeScan®-L:  A Robotic tractor that remotely climbs and lubricates wire ropes.

TendonScan®: Post Tension Tendon Inspection and Reporting Service.

TendonScan®  utilizes the latest in electromagnetic technologies and software interpretation to examine the cross-section of tendons to locate and measure the loss of metallic area, broken strands, and corrosion.

ColumnScan®: Robotic column inspection service that replaces dangerous manual inspections and avoids placing personnel in a confined space while providing more quantitative data to the owner for any column or shaft inspection.

“This exclusive partnership gives Infraspect the opportunity to disrupt manual & subjective inspection methods currently in use with quantitative data that can help asset owners better allocate budgets to manage maintenance and repairs. Utilizing robotic technology is safer for both inspectors and the traveling public and has a lower cost for the asset owners and taxpayers alike.”

About Infraspect

Infraspect is a bridge inspection, nondestructive testing (NDT), and robotic engineering company. Infraspect utilizes advanced nondestructive testing and robotic technology to produce condition assessment reports that determine the condition and deterioration of today’s infrastructure. For more information, visit www.infraspect.com.

About Bureau Veritas
Bureau Veritas is a world leader in testing, inspection, and certification services. Created in 1828, the Group has more than 77,000 employees located in more than 1,500 offices and laboratories around the globe.

Bureau Veritas helps its clients improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure, and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection, and social responsibility.

Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris and belongs to the Next 20 index. Compartment A, ISIN code FR 0006174348, stock symbol: BVI.  For more information, visit www.bvna.com.