Nexterity, a startup founded by former ExxonMobil engineer and planner Lindsey Elliott, is developing a remote controlled robot designed to automate one of the physically demanding tasks performed by pipefitters. 

The company is focusing on the bolts that connect sections of industrial piping, which require workers to perform strenuous loosening and tightening work and can contribute to injuries and fatigue.

The robot consists of two main sections that fit around a pipe. Once attached, it operates using batteries and can move along the pipe while loosening or tightening four bolts at a time. 

Nexterity has developed different configurations to accommodate common pipe sizes, with the equipment small enough to fit inside a portable case and be carried by one worker.

Elliott said discussions with pipefitters and members of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers helped shape the design. 

She found that about 80 percent of the pipes commonly handled in the industry are between two and eight inches in diameter, making the work suitable for a standardized automated system.

Nexterity intends to offer the robots as rental equipment for construction and industrial sites. 

The company sees potential applications beyond oil and gas, including water and wastewater treatment, food and beverage production, mining, nuclear facilities and other manufacturing operations that rely on piping infrastructure.

Source: TechCrunch