Drain Repair with Robotic Pipe Cutting

IMS Robotic Cutter

The IMS Robotic Cutter is a state-of-the-art robotic system specifically designed for removing stubborn blockages and obstructions where sewer machines and high-pressure water jets fail. It combines innovative robotics, advanced imaging technology, and powerful cutting capabilities to deliver a comprehensive solution for obstacle clearing, pipe relining, CCTV camera inspections, and water jetting.

This video demonstrates an IMS Robotic Cutter in action, illustrating how it effectively clears various drain blockages.

High-definition cameras

With its compact and agile design, the IMS Robotic Cutter can easily navigate through pipes of various sizes and configurations, ensuring that no area goes unexamined. Equipped with high-resolution cameras and advanced sensors, it provides real-time visuals and data, enabling our drainage specialists and clients to make informed decisions and execute precise actions.

As all the footage is recorded, it is particularly useful for strata managers to clearly illustrate issues to property owners and provide cost-effective solutions to resolve problems quickly and efficiently with minimal disruption.

The advantages of robotic cutting services

Using robotic cutters over less effective clearing tools has a range of benefits. These are:

• Robotic cutters achieve excellent results, reducing the time needed to remove stubborn blockages or obstructions.
• Using advanced imaging technology and sensors, the IMS Robotic Cutter provides high-definition detail, guaranteeing accurate assessments and optimal results.
• Removing blockages and obstructions that traditional methods cannot eliminate the need to excavate, saving time, money, and inconvenience.
• Robotic cutters can navigate multiple junctions and bends to reach blockages or obstructions without damaging the original or relined pipe.
• The compact design allows access to hard-to-get locations with minimal disruption.
• The IMS Robotic Cutter can remove concrete, steel and other materials that traditionally require excavation.

A robotic cutter can combat a range of sewer pipe challenges. These include:

• Reopening a crushed or damaged pipe to its full diameter to restore flow
• Removing a lip or catch point at a joint to reduce or eliminate choke points
• Cutting through large tree roots, where traditional methods fail
• Grinding through deposits of concrete or grout, particularly after construction activity
• Reinstating junction branch connections after pipe relining
• Removing foreign objects from pipes, i.e. star pickets, metal or timber stakes
• Grinding away lodged pieces of earthenware pipe, rocks, and other foreign objects.

Robotic cutters are incredibly versatile and can adjust to fit a range of different types and sizes of pipes. They are suitable for old and new pipe systems and can be used to repair PVC, clay, concrete, steel, and cast iron pipes.

Due to the inflatable head that locks the cutter in place, robotic cutters can be used in pipe diameters ranging from 80mm to 150mm. So whether the obstructed pipes are narrow, such as those beneath a domestic property, or larger, like those on a strata property, robotic cutters can usually remove the obstruction with minimal fuss.

Robotic cutting is one of the fastest and most effective methods for clearing blockages, debris, or other pipe obstructions. In some cases, it’s the only viable solution. Due to its specialized cutting head and attached camera, this technology is among the most precise and durable tools for removing pipe obstacles.

Think of it as a premium upgrade to traditional sewer machines or high-pressure water jets. It is an excellent tool for cutting through tough blockages and debris, such as concrete sediment or steel, that require extra force for removal. Robotic cutters are equipped to handle those challenging tasks efficiently and cost-effectively with minimal fuss.

We visited a residential property in Bentleigh East on behalf of PlumbLocal. The owner reported a sewer blockage that affected the entire house, rendering all sewer drains unusable. The plumber successfully cleared the blockage and discovered that a foundation post for a new timber deck at the back of the property had penetrated the sewage pipe, causing the obstruction.

To address this issue, we used the IMS robotic cutter to remove the post and install a structural reline section through the damaged area. This was accomplished without removing the deck or the foundation posts, resulting in substantial cost savings.

We inspected a collapsed drain that connects the staff toilets to the main sewer in one of the buildings at Chisholm Institute in Dandenong. The pipe, made of vitreous clay, had been damaged while constructing a new building next door. To address the issue, we used the IMS robotic cutter equipped with a diamond-tipped tool to grind out and remove the broken sections of the pipe until we restored its diameter to its original size.

After removing the damaged section, we installed 2 metres of structural fibreglass liner to replace it and provide a permanent repair. This method avoided jackhammering up the reinforced concrete foundation of the new building. As a result, we achieved significant savings in time, costs, and construction delays and completed the repair within two days.

Robotic cutters provide drain experts with an efficient solution for quickly and effectively addressing various sewer pipe obstructions. These advanced tools offer numerous advantages: they can be used on different types of pipes, tackle stubborn blockages, and achieve precise repairs without damaging them. Additionally, they eliminate the need for ground excavations. Overall, this sophisticated technology enhances the efficiency of pipe repairs, requiring less disruption and reducing the time needed to complete the job.

If you suspect you have a pipe obstruction or blockage that no one else can resolve, contact Drain Fixers. We will happily inspect your pipes using high-definition cameras. If we discover an obstruction is the cause, and it cannot be removed with more traditional means, we'll use robotic cutting technology to fix the problem without expensive excavation.

Our friendly team has extensive experience operating robotic cutters in sewers and other piping systems, ensuring efficient and cost-effective resolution of pipe obstructions with minimal fuss and inconvenience.