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The Cobra Advantage

Unique Features Provided By Cobra Technologies

Cobra Technologies™ appreciates the opportunity to offer our proposal for your sewer inspection requirements. During your evaluation, we wish to highlight several features which make the Cobra Technologies™ System unique and decisively superior in performance. Easily upgradeable to enhance versatility, the COBRA system serves as the leader in quality and dependability.

Crawler controller: The reel is fitted with a Pendant Control (not shown) allowing the User to place the crawler in the pipe and set up the preset without assistance from the Operator in the control room. An optional wireless controller (picture at left) is provided that enables the user to operate the crawler up to 100ft from the truck in remote applications. This functionality is designed to enable the User to insert and recover the crawler at the manhole without the assistance of the operator in the truck control room.
Automatic Video Reel Brake: This brake operates in conjunction with the Crawler and releases when power is applied to the crawler. As soon as power is removed from the crawler the brake engages, preventing any cable overrun in the reel. When power is applied to the Crawler, the brake immediately disengages and the video reel is in a freewheel mode allowing the crawler to pull the cable off the reel without the need of a helper to assist the Crawler.
Rotating Equipment Rack: Allows the user to access the electronics connections without leaving the vehicle when trouble shooting the video system. Installed in Hi Cube, Sprinter, and One Ton Van systems.
Auxiliary Electrical Heaters: 1500-watt heaters with fan controls are installed in both the equipment room and the operator room to supplement the heater installed in the roof mount A/C unit.
System Power: Cobra designed and developed over the past 10 years a static inverter power system eliminating the need to use a generator. It provides all the functionality of the conventional truck power.; The battery when fully charged will run the inspection equipment for approximately 3 hours without main engine support. With the main engine operating at idle, the system will operate continuously 24 hours a day.; The inverter has a built in computer controlled 3 stage charger designed to charge the type of battery being used. At night the truck should be plugged into shore power so that the batteries are fully charged in the morning.
Cobra Crawler Standard Equipment: The Cobra Crawler is equipped with an automatic clutch which automatically engages when power is applied to the Crawler motor. When voltage is removed from the crawler, the clutch automatically is disengaged allowing the unit to freewheel.; 90º Stainless Steel Swivel for Crawler rear connector providing the following benefits:; 1) Reduces wear and damage to pigtail a major source of problems and weakest part of cable system; 2) Permits improved access to tight inverts where conventional systems might have problems; 3) Provides single 8-pin connection, only one connection, for all functions versus the conventional 5-pin 4-pin termination and the required electrical tape to enclose multiple wires.
Remote Controlled Elevator: Cobra provides a remotely controlled elevator which allows the elevator to be lowered for installation in the manhole and once inserted in the pipe the elevator can be adjusted for the optimum position in the pipe. The elevator can also be adjusted during the inspection to allow for changing water levels or to pass under obstacles. In the event of a power failure to the Crawler the elevator will default to its closed position to allow for the extraction of the Crawler from the pipe.
Data Collection: Cobra uses an industrial touch screen interface to collect data. Cobra recommends the data be transferred to the office for processing and warehousing rather than attempting to process the data in the truck. The data is then hosted in the office in an information management system where it can be accessed by multiple users in the office. A client server database is provided by Cobra to manage the data on the Owner's network. The CobraTouch™ Data Logger CDL 9000 Series can be installed in any Video Inspection Unit a Municipality or Contractor might purchase or have in its fleet.
Digital Video: The data logger is designed to collect the video files in digital format (MPEG 1, MPEG2 or MPEG4). Video files are stored on a removable hard drive and can be transferred from the truck to the office by taking the drive to the office or the files can by electronically transferred on a wireless network (802.11 G). The system has the capability to burn CDs /DVD s in the truck when required.; The data logger has a video preview screen allowing the operator to ensure the video files being stored have the optimum video settings for the best possible image. Units without preview capability have no way to ensure the video meets the quality required by the client during the inspection. The operator has controls to adjust the compressed video "on the fly" to get the best possible file from the truck.; The data logger starts, stops and pauses the file when requested. This pause function is most important as it allows the operator to stop collecting the video when there is a delay in the inspection. The pause is certified to play back on any commercially available player without the possibility of freezing the video. The pause is designed so that only one file is generated for one inspection. This pause function can be used as often as required and for as long as required.
CIMS™ Software: The CIMS™ software setup in the office allows the user to store and process the data collected in the field on a PC or network. CIMS™ has the capability of linking the video files with the inspection records allowing instant access to pinpoint each defect captured on video. For additional information please review the CIMS™ literature. Cobra believes that it is in the interest of the client to store the data and the video in the office in an information management system where it can be accessed by users as required rather than on a CD/DVD which requires the continued use of a library along with the necessary overhead. The software is capable of importing and exporting data in a number of formats which include:; PACP; DBF (used to import data into Arc Info GIS tables); MS Access; WRc Sewer.dat (and a number of similar .dat formats); WSSC; Hansen IMSV7 using Neztek NDEU interface. (For details regarding this functionality, contact Cobra.; Customizable exports available - contact Cobra for details.
Steerable Crawler: Large pipe inspections require a steerable capability for the crawler. Cobra has designed a powerful track driven crawler designed for inspection of storm sewer pipes. All Cobra systems incorporate the necessary wiring to use the Cobra Steerable Crawler without any changes being made to the system.
Pan Tilt Zoom Camera: Cobra now provides the pan and tilt camera with a 10/1 optical zoom and an additional 4/1 digital zoom making the camera capable of a 40/1 zoom. The zoom camera has multiple functions that include auto iris, manual iris control, auto focus and manual focus control, zoom in and out with focus tracking plus all the usual functions of the pan and tilt camera such as auto centering.
Directional Lighting: Luxeon LED lighting is in the Cobra PTZ camera with a collimator in the front of the LED directing the lighting in either narrow 5° beam or a wide 45° beam providing sufficient illumination for pipe up to 72". Cameras are normally supplied with one of each for optimum lighting. The Luxeon is cold and will not heat the camera module. Lights now operate on the same circuit as the camera power so when the camera is powered, the lights automatically illuminate at full brightness. This approach eliminates the need for the conventional Power Control Unit. External Luxeon lighting can be added to the camera if additional lighting is required. The lights are supplied in groups of 3 LED's with collimators integrated into an MR 16 (2") SS housing.