Small Pipes, Big Solutions: Pipe Inspection with Nexxis

Rethinking Small Pipe Inspections 

Small pipes can often cause big headaches when it comes to inspection time. Afterall, these lines typically transport chemicals, steam, gas, and other critical materials across industrial facilities – and they’re often hidden beneath insulation, clustered in confined racks, or tucked behind infrastructure. That combination of smaller bore size, and complex routing make them notoriously difficult to inspect. 

Traditional methods—such as visual spot checks or manual ultrasonic testing often involve awkward confined space entry, insulation removal, or extended downtime.  

Worse yet, inspectors risk missing key indicators of corrosion, thinning, or pitting. 

But with the robotic access tools and non-destructive testing technologies at Nexxis, we’re helping asset managers unlock big results from small pipe inspections.  

 

Common Problems with Smaller Pipes 

Small-diameter piping usually needs to be inspected more than their bigger counterparts – this is because they are prone to rapid degradation. A tighter squeeze means higher velocity and friction for whatever’s flowing through it. Add heat, pressure, or hazardous materials, and you’ve got the perfect conditions for accelerated wear: corrosion under insulation (CUI), internal pitting, and general wall loss.  

A Better Way To Inspect 

From remote visual inspection with crawlers, to various other NDT methods,  Nexxis combines advanced tools and practical expertise to inspect pipes of all sizes.  

Panther Pipe Crawler 

Designed for remote visual inspection (RVI) in vertical pipes as small as 200mm in diameter, Panther is a rugged, steerable crawler that navigates narrow bends and confined routes with ease. Its onboard camera captures high-resolution imagery. No shutdowns required. 

 

PowerTrain 

A carriage-based crawler built for small diameter and vertical pipe environments. With its rotating sensor body, PowerTrain delivers 360° high-resolution imaging and advanced ultrasonic wall thickness measurements. It navigates pipes as small as 150mm, handles multiple bends, and is fully customisable for specific industries and environments. 

Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC) 

For insulated or coated pipes, PEC detects wall thinning without removing insulation. Its magnetic field penetrates surface layers to reveal corrosion below – fast, non-invasively, and with minimal disruption. 

 

Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) 

An effective screening tool for uninsulated straight pipe segments, MFL highlights pitting and surface-level corrosion by measuring disturbances in a magnetic field. Combined with UT follow-up, it enables precise assessment without compromising productivity. 

 

 

Smarter Outcomes, Safer Assets 

With Nexxis technology, inspections are safer, faster, and more complete. Teams can: 

• Assess condition without confined space entry or insulation removal 

• Detect defects earlier, minimising unplanned outages 

• Gain clear, digital results for engineering review and predictive maintenance 

• Keep operations online, saving both time and cost 

Whether you’re working in energy, mining, oil and gas, or processing, Nexxis delivers a small pipe inspection solution tailored to your unique environment. 

 

Conclusion 

Small pipes don’t need to mean small returns. With robotic platforms like Panther and advanced NDT tools including PEC and MFL, Nexxis enables smarter inspections backed by safer practices, clearer data, and stronger decisions. 

Get in touch to learn how we can help optimise your small pipe inspections today