Robotic Tomograph SPRUT Presented by Russian Engineers in Innopolis

Russian engineers from Innopolis University have presented a robotic ultrasonic tomography system called SPRUT. The new complex is designed to automate quality control of complex products in metallurgy, aircraft construction, railway transport, electronics, and microtechnology.

The SPRUT system allows detecting internal defects in structural metal materials 30% more efficiently and increases control sensitivity by 20% compared to traditional methods. The complex includes a robot manipulator with an ultrasonic flaw detector, a 100-liter working bath, and software for process control.

The peculiarity of SPRUT is robotization: the manipulator accurately positions the ultrasonic transducer relative to the surface of the product, providing complete scanning and construction of a three-dimensional model of the internal structure. The system provides data on the location and size of defects, and the results can be saved and loaded, turning a single check into a digital life cycle of parts quality control.

The software allows calibrating the position of the product, generating a scanning trajectory, controlling the manipulator and flaw detector, performing ultrasonic data reconstruction, and visualizing the results. Unlike analogues, SPRUT displays information not only in the plane, but also in 3D format with the ability to view sections along various axes.

Renat Adutov, Technical Director of the Center for the Development of Industrial Robotics at Innopolis University, noted that work on the project began in 2024. According to him, the new system allows obtaining the most complete information about the quality of the product - from a general 3D map to the microstructure of a specific defect.

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