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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
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Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
4 min read
Sewer pipeline assessment can be a dirty job. To make it easier, Autodesk’s Tim Medearis and VAPAR’s Michelle Aguilar teamed up at Autodesk University to show customers How AI/ML in Info360 Asset Can Assist in Sewer Pipeline Condition Assessment and Management. If you’re at all interested in AI, this presentation about how AI and ML is making CCTV sewer inspections easier is probably one of the best and most straightforward use cases for AI in water.
Sewer pipelines are critical – yet often overlooked – components of urban infrastructure. With millions of miles of pipelines worldwide, utilities face immense challenges maintaining these systems to prevent overflows, blockages, and environmental damage. Traditionally, the process of assessing sewer conditions relies on closed-circuit television (CCTV) inspections, an expensive, time-intensive method requiring expert interpretation of video footage.
As pipes age and budgets tighten, utilities must innovate. AI and Machine Learning (ML) offer transformative potential, streamlining sewer condition assessments and enabling data-driven decision-making. This blog explores how Autodesk’s Info360 Asset and VAPAR’s AI/ML solutions work together to modernize sewer infrastructure management, reducing costs and enhancing efficiency.
The most recent ASCE Report Card for American Infrastructure gave the US a D+ rating for its wastewater infrastructure:
These staggering numbers underscore the urgent need for improved inspection and maintenance strategies.
The reasons why inspections are conducted is very straightforward:
The way this typically works is that CCTV cameras – mounted on crawler units – captures footage of pipelines. Operators simultaneously must navigate equipment, manage traffic, and document defects based on regional standards. However, this manual process can be error-prone and time-consuming, with 40% of defects often missed during field inspections.
VAPAR addresses these challenges by leveraging AI and computer vision to automate defect detection. Here’s how it works:
Autodesk’s Info360 Asset takes sewer management to the next level, integrating with VAPAR for a holistic approach to asset management. As a cloud-based solution, Info360 Asset provides real-time collaboration and analysis, offering:
Manual sewer inspections are inefficient and unsustainable. On average, utilities around the world inspect less than 4% of their networks annually, equating to a 25-year cycle to assess all assets. With automated solutions:
Together, VAPAR and Info360 Asset deliver a powerful combination of AI and cloud technology, enabling utilities to make faster, smarter decisions:
The integration of VAPAR’s AI capabilities with Autodesk’s Info360 Asset represents a significant leap forward for utilities. By embracing these technologies, utilities can address today’s infrastructure challenges and ensure sustainable management for the future.
Learn more about VAPAR and Info360 Asset work together on the VAPAR website and learn more about How Info360 Asset is solving the common challenges of CCTV right here on the One Water Blog.
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