Academic study shows SmartGrind benefits

A recent study carried out by senior engineers, quality experts and coating specialists at Saudi Aramco, and published in Materials Performance journal, has concluded that OMS SmartGrind technology is a ‘powerful tool to scan and identify weld bead condition and defects.’ The study, Enhancing the Performance and Quality of Internal FBE Coating for Field Joints in Line Pipes (authors Sangki Chi, Abdullah Alwayel, Hassan Sagour and Abdullah Shaiban), investigated the impact of laser mapping and grinding technologies on coating application and performance, through both field and laboratory tests. Read the full study here.

SmartGrind, which uses sophisticated laser mapping and targeted grinding to identify and solve weld defects, is a modular addition to our award-winning weld inspection system that can be deployed via AGILITY robotic crawler or other methods . Released in 2023, it has been successfully used on many major global energy projects.

Marcus Smiles, OMS Regional Head (Middle East), said, ‘We were very pleased to be involved in this study, alongside our valued partners, leading coating specialists CRTS Global, and delighted that the results showed SmartGrind’s laser mapping and targeted grinding technology is a valuable tool for improving weld surface readiness for coating and for maintaining coating integrity during pipeline operation. Having achieved official Aramco verification in early 2025, SmartGrind has generated a lot of interest from our clients and been successfully deployed on several projects. Now our first Middle East office is open, we are ideally placed to service local projects - please contact us if we can help you.’

SmartGrind

OMS and CRTS Global teams