Gridbots GRINDMATIK in-pipe grinding robot


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GRIDBOTS GRINDMATIK

IN-PIPE GRINDING ROBOT – 200 MM TO 2000 MM


GRINDMATIK is a heavy-duty robotic grinding system that travels inside pipes and performs internal weld grinding, descaling, coating removal and surface finishing – work that is slow, dangerous and often impossible to do by hand inside a pipe.

A family of models covers pipe internal diameters from 200 mm to 2000 mm, with self-centring wheel legs that lock the robot concentrically in the bore. A radial grinding arm on a 360° rotary head delivers up to 8000 W of grinding power exactly where it is needed.

Quick-change heads accept flap discs, cup wheels, wire brushes, burrs, bead-removal cutters, polishing tools and more – so one robot handles everything from weld-root flush grinding to mirror polishing.

Twin Full HD cameras with LED illumination and a laser profile sensor let the operator see the weld, the tool and the finished surface live from the controller, up to 50 metres away.

GRINDMATIK is supplied as a complete system – robot, 50 m tether, power supply unit and controller – ready to deploy on site.



GRINDMATIK grinding an internal pipe weld

8000 W
Max grinding power
200–2000
Pipe ID range (mm)
360°
Continuous rotary head
50 M
Tether & supply cable


How GRINDMATIK Works

Pipe cross-section – self-centring robot with radial grinding arm

360° rotation Grinding head on weld Robot body Self-centring wheel legs Pipe wall

Operating Axes

Every motion is servo-controlled and encoder-tracked

AxisFunctionRange
Axial travelDrive along pipe0 – 50 m, 0.1 mm resolution
Rotary headRotate tool around bore360° continuous, 0.05°
Radial armTool reach & contact forceModel dependent stroke
Axial slideWeave across weld width±50 mm
Tool tiltAngle to surface±30°
Centring legsLock in boreAuto-expand per model range

Constant-force control keeps grinding pressure steady as the tool wears and the surface changes.


GRINDMATIK controller and power supply unit

CONTROLLER & POWER SUPPLY UNIT

GRINDMATIK ships with a rugged control console and a separate power supply unit (PSU) connected to the robot by a single 50 m composite tether carrying power, data, video and an optional air / water line.

The controller’s HDMI touch display shows both camera feeds, robot position in the pipe, head angle, spindle speed, motor load and grinding force. Operators can jog manually with joysticks or run automatic programs – circumferential weld passes, spiral descaling or full-length surface preparation.

The PSU provides the spindle VFD, drive power, overload and earth-leakage protection, and a cable reel with slip ring keeps the tether tidy during travel.



GRINDMATIK

Models

Five models cover 200 mm to 2000 mm internal diameter. Each model’s centring legs adjust across its range, so one robot serves many pipe sizes.

ModelPipe ID RangeGrinding PowerSpindle SpeedRobot WeightMax Disc / Tool
GB-GRINDMATIK 200200 – 350 mm1500 W3,000 – 12,000 rpm18 kg75 mm
GB-GRINDMATIK 350350 – 600 mm3000 W2,500 – 10,000 rpm32 kg115 mm
GB-GRINDMATIK 600600 – 1000 mm5000 W2,000 – 8,500 rpm55 kg125 mm
GB-GRINDMATIK 10001000 – 1500 mm6500 W1,500 – 8,500 rpm85 kg180 mm
GB-GRINDMATIK 15001500 – 2000 mm8000 W1,500 – 6,600 rpm120 kg230 mm

Custom models for non-circular ducts, larger diameters and vertical shafts available on request.





Grinding Attachments

A quick-change tool interface lets one GRINDMATIK switch between tasks in minutes. Standard and custom attachments include:


Flap DiscWeld cap & root flush grinding, blending, general stock removal
Depressed-Centre Grinding WheelHeavy stock removal on thick weld reinforcement
Cup Wheel (Stone / Diamond)Flattening, heavy weld removal, concrete & mortar lining grinding
Wire Cup / Wheel BrushTwisted-knot or crimped wire for rust, scale & spatter removal
Weld Bead Removal CutterCarbide milling head to remove internal weld protrusion to a set height
Carbide Burr / Rotary FileSpot defects, porosity excavation, root repairs
Abrasive Belt HeadLong, uniform finishing passes and weld blending
Sanding Drum / Flap WheelContour finishing on bends and ovality
Coating & Lining Removal HeadStrip epoxy, rubber, bitumen & paint linings before re-coating
Descaling / Scarifier HeadTungsten-carbide flails for hard scale, tuberculation & deposits
Non-Woven / Scotch-Brite DiscLight cleaning, oxide & heat-tint removal on stainless
Polishing & Buffing HeadFelt / compound polishing to sanitary finish (Ra < 0.8 µm)
Bevel & Chamfer ToolInternal edge preparation and counter-boring at joints
Abrasive Cut-Off WheelCutting branch stubs, intrusions & obstructions
Wet Grinding KitWater-fed cooling & dust suppression for diamond tools
Custom ToolingDesigned to your pipe, material & finish requirement

ATTACHMENT SELECTION GUIDE

AttachmentTypical TaskMaterialsTypical Finish (Ra)
Grinding wheelHeavy weld reinforcement removalCS, LAS6.3 – 12.5 µm
Weld bead cutterRoot protrusion removal to set heightCS, SS, LAS3.2 – 6.3 µm
Flap disc (40–120 grit)Flush grinding & blendingCS, SS, Duplex1.6 – 3.2 µm
Wire brushRust, scale, spatter removalCS, SS (SS wire)Cleaned profile
Descaling headHard scale & tuberculationCS, Ductile IronBare metal
Diamond cup wheelConcrete / mortar liningConcrete, CML—
Coating removal headEpoxy, rubber, bitumen liningsAll substratesBare substrate
Non-woven / polishingSanitary & process finishSS, Duplex0.4 – 0.8 µm

CS = Carbon Steel, SS = Stainless Steel, LAS = Low-Alloy Steel, CML = Cement Mortar Lining.






Features


Up to 8000 W grinding spindle with VFD speed control

200 mm – 2000 mm pipes across five models

Self-centring, auto-expanding wheel legs

360° rotary head with constant-force radial arm

16+ quick-change grinding attachments

Up to 50 m composite tether with cable reel

Twin Full HD cameras with LED illumination

Laser weld profile sensor for auto weld finding

Manual and automatic grinding programs

Horizontal, inclined and vertical pipe operation





Applications


Oil & Gas PipelinesInternal girth weld root grinding before coating & pigging
Hydro PenstocksWeld grinding, descaling & surface prep for re-lining
Power PlantsCooling water lines, CW ducts & boiler headers
Process & Pharma PipingStainless weld blending & sanitary polishing
Water & Sewage MainsTuberculation removal & lining preparation
Fabrication ShopsSpool & pressure vessel nozzle internal finishing




Performance


Internal pipe weld before grinding
Before

Internal girth weld root before grinding

Internal pipe weld after grinding
After

Root ground flush with pipe bore

Descaled pipe interior
Descaled

Scale removed to bare metal, ready for lining


Material Removal Rate

Carbon steel, flap disc / grinding wheel, by model power

Weld Root Height Around Bore

Internal weld protrusion before and after one automatic pass

Surface Finish by Attachment

Achievable roughness Ra (µm) – lower is smoother

Time per Internal Weld Joint

Root grinding, 800 mm pipe, 12 mm wall

Charts show representative values for illustration. Actual removal rates and finish depend on material, tool, grit, weld profile and settings.


GRINDMATIK vs. MANUAL IN-PIPE GRINDING

ParameterManual GrindingGridbots GRINDMATIK
Minimum pipe size~600 mm (person must fit)200 mm
Confined-space entryRequired, with permits & standbyNot required
Grinding power1.5 – 2.5 kW handheldUp to 8 kW
Finish consistencyOperator dependentProgrammed & repeatable
Over-grinding riskHighLaser-profile controlled
Operator exposureDust, noise, sparks, vibrationRemote, up to 50 m away
DocumentationManual notesVideo record & position log

OPERATING WORKFLOW

01
InsertLoad robot at pipe end; legs auto-centre in bore
02
LocateDrive to weld; laser & camera find the seam
03
GrindAutomatic 360° passes with constant force
04
VerifyLaser profile & video confirm the finish


Specifications

ROBOT

Model SeriesGB-GRINDMATIK (200 / 350 / 600 / 1000 / 1500)
Pipe Internal Diameter200 mm – 2000 mm (model dependent)
DrivePowered Wheels on Self-Centring Legs, Active Servo Motors
Travel SpeedMaximum of 50 mm/sec
Encoder Motion Resolution0.1 mm Increments
Rotary Head360° Continuous with Slip Ring
Pipe OrientationHorizontal, Inclined, Vertical
BendsLong-radius bends (model dependent)
Robot Weight18 – 120 Kg (model dependent)
Cameras2 Full HD [1 – Front Facing, 1 – Tool View] with LED Illuminators
Profile SensorLaser Line Sensor for Weld Detection & Height Measurement
Build MaterialSS-316 and Aircraft Grade Aluminium

GRINDING SYSTEM

Grinding Power1500 W to 8000 W (model dependent)
Spindle MotorBrushless / Induction, VFD Controlled
Spindle Speed1,500 – 12,000 rpm (model dependent)
Grinding Force ControlClosed-loop Constant Force
Axial Weave±50 mm
Tool Tilt±30°
Tool InterfaceQuick-Change, M14 / M16 / 5/8" Arbor
Cooling / Dust ControlOptional Water Feed or Vacuum Extraction Port
Automatic ProgramsCircumferential Pass, Spiral, Longitudinal, Spot

TETHER, POWER SUPPLY & CONTROLLER

Tether LengthUp to 50 Meters
Tether ConstructionComposite: Power + Data + Video + Optional Air/Water, Steel Strength Member
Cable ReelMotorised Reel with Slip Ring & Length Counter
Power Supply Unit InputSingle Phase 230V AC (up to 3 kW models) / Three Phase 415V AC (5 – 8 kW models)
PSU ProtectionOverload, Short-Circuit, Earth Leakage, Over-Temperature
ControllerRugged Console with HDMI Touch Display & Dual Joysticks
Display DataDual Video, Position, Head Angle, Spindle Load, Force
Operating ModesManual, Semi-Auto, Fully Automatic
RecordingVideo & Operation Log Export (USB)

ENVIRONMENTAL

IP RatingIP67 Robot / IP54 Controller & PSU
Temperature5°C to 65°C
Humidity95%, Non-Condensing

SAFETY & SENSORS

E-Stop2x (Controller + PSU)
Spindle Overload ProtectionAuto Retract & Stop
Tilt / Inclination SensorYes
Motor Temperature MonitoringYes
Gas Sensor (Optional)O₂ / LEL / H₂S
Tether Tension MonitoringYes


GRINDMATIK inside pipeline
Pipeline Weld Grinding
GRINDMATIK in penstock
Penstock Descaling
GRINDMATIK attachments
Grinding Attachments
GRINDMATIK system with controller and PSU
Complete System


Drawings


GRINDMATIK side view drawing
GRINDMATIK front view drawing
GRINDMATIK isometric drawing


Media