INTERTEST CUSTOM ENGINEERING SOLUTION
iSHOT® PORTABLE RUGGED
CAVITAR WELDING
MONITOR CASE
Portable dual-camera monitoring for demanding welding environments
At a Glance
CHALLENGE
What needed to be overcome?
- Standard optics insufficient for required working distance
- Outdoor shipyard environment demanded sunlight-readable, protected display
- Legacy workflow placed personnel at dangerous heights on vessel hulls
DEVELOPMENT
What needed to be designed?
- Wide-optic Cavitar camera modified to capture 3-inch image width
- Custom anti-tip hinge, gas spring lid, and 1500-nit display integrated
- All control components consolidated into sealed portable enclosure
SOLUTION
What was the end product?
- Dual wide-optic cameras mounted on hull crawler with 40-meter cabling
- Sealed case housing PC, display, keyboard, and synchronizing block storage
- System supports remote MIG weld monitoring from ground level
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THE CHALLENGE
A defense shipbuilding operation required a weld camera monitoring solution for MIG welding performed along the hull seams of large naval vessels. The existing process required skilled workers to rappel as much as 80 feet down the side of a vessel, manually controlling a robot within a narrow scaffolding channel. This approach introduced significant safety risk to highly trained personnel.
Initial trials with the Cavitar Welding Camera identified two critical constraints. The standard optics could not achieve the required image width at close working distances — the camera needed to capture a 3-inch-wide image at 5-6 inches from the target. Deploying the system on an active shipyard where metallic dust, heavy foot traffic, direct sunlight, and moving equipment were constant made protecting the control hardware an equally demanding problem. Unprotected components in that environment were at high risk of damage, threatening the reliability of the entire system.
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DEVELOPMENT & INNOVATION
InterTest worked with Cavitar to modify the standard camera optic to a wider focal length, achieving a ~3-inch image width at 8 inches of working distance, standardized as the Cavitar C400-B Wide FOV Welding Camera System. Two cameras are deployed on a robotic hull crawler via 40-meter Gigabit Ethernet robotic cabling engineered for continuous industrial movement.
The portable case control unit integrates a 1500-nit TruVu display & IP67-rated sealed keyboard with integrated mouse, PC, dual sealed camera connections, and a storage pocket for the synchronizing block. A custom expanding hinge system shifts the center of mass as the lid opens, preventing tip-over, while a gas spring mechanism controls lid movement in both directions. All external surfaces are wipeable and weather-resistant for outdoor shipyard use.
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THE SOLUTION
A rugged, portable Cavitar dual-camera case control unit, the system consolidates a high-brightness display, sealed input devices, PC, camera connections, and synchronizing block storage into a single transportable enclosure. Mounted on a robotic hull crawler with 40-meter robotic cable runs, the system is designed to support remote MIG weld seam monitoring from ground level, removing the need for personnel to work at elevation on the vessel hull.
By offering a fully consolidated and environmentally hardened control solution, InterTest enabled the customer to deploy the Cavitar imaging system in one of the most demanding industrial environments imaginable, improving both operator safety and the reliability of the monitoring equipment over the course of the program.
Project Results
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Wide-optic Cavitar cameras deliver three-inch image width at close range
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Ruggedized portable case protects all control hardware in active shipyard conditions
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Remote robotic system designed to reduce personnel exposure during hull weld work
