Abstract: A robotic system includes a main drive unit, a non-actuated extendable arm unit an axial drive unit, an arm guidance member, and a head articulation unit. The unit includes a mounting structure, and an arm storage unit coupled to the mounting structure. The arm unit is coupled to the arm storage unit to be moved axially in a lateral plane from the arm storage unit. The arm unit is flexible and thin in the lateral plane, and rigid and wide in a vertical plane. The unit may be coupled to the arm storage unit to enable axial extension and retraction of the unit. The head articulation unit is coupled to the arm unit to actuate thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for the inspection of ferromagnetic components using magnetic particles, particularly for in-situ inspection of parts of power plants, with the apparatus including a movable chassis defining a magnetic yoke with a central opening over a surface of the component to be inspected and a discharge nozzle to inject the magnetic particles onto the surface, a magnetic field source for generating a magnetic field on at least part of the surface below the opening and a probe to measure a representation of the spatial distribution of the magnetic particles on the surface.