Oil and Gas Industry, Trip Guardian 1503
Trip Guardian 1503

Since 1938, Ideal Aerosmith has been developing innovative test solutions for the aviation and defense industries and has become widely regarded as the world’s leader in motion test solutions. While many of the world’s most important companies utilize Ideal Aerosmith technology every day, it may come as a surprise that some of those companies are not in the aviation or defense industries, but instead work with oil and gas.

Ideal Aerosmith has been serving the oil and gas industry for nearly twenty years, specifically with the work of directional drilling. One of its most significant contributions is the Trip Guardian, a non-magnetic motion simulator that allows for the testing of down-hole tools aboveground. While the name Trip Guardian is fairly new, Ideal Aerosmith’s non-magnetic tables have been helping customers with directional drilling since the late ‘90s. In fact, Ideal Aerosmith serves more than 20 companies in the oil and gas industry, including names like Schlumberger, Halliburton and Baker Hughes, and has sold more than 200 testing tables worldwide.

Previously known simply as a “three-axis non-magnetic table,” Trip Guardian uses three axes and built-in ovens to provide a remarkably realistic simulation environment in which to test instruments such as magnetometers, gyros and accelerometers. “Trip Guardian offers our customers a number of benefits,” says Jason Eder, Ideal Aerosmith’s business development manager for the oil and gas industry. “For drilling contractors, the main advantage is the ability to test down-hole directional instruments or tools before they are tripped-in. By identifying malfunctions or improper settings in the tools before they go underground, it’s possible to save time and avoid wasted trips, keeping drilling productive and profitable.”

Trip Guardian is renowned for its accuracy and reliability. Using the same technology that is employed in the aviation and defense industries, the 400-pound Trip Guardian is a high precision, non-magnetic system that can take a variety of payloads – including lengths up to 108 inches. “It’s an extremely dependable product,” adds Eder. “When properly cared for with regular calibrations, Trip Guardian systems can last up to ten years or more.”

There are two series of Trip Guardian tables. The Trip Guardian 1503 is a manual system in which the operator physically positions each axis as needed and then takes the necessary readings. The operator continues to manually position each axis until all tests have been performed. In 2012, Ideal Aerosmith introduced a fully automated non-magnetic three-axis table system, the Trip Guardian 2203, in which the axes are controlled via a PC, allowing operators to calibrate down-hole tools much faster. “For our customers who manufacture down-hole equipment, testing with the 2203 can significantly improve throughput and reliability, while helping to lower cost,” Eder says. “As for our customers in the field, Trip Guardian tables give them peace of mind by ensuring that trips are not wasted, which can be very expensive.”

Today, Ideal Aerosmith continues to evaluate the Trip Guardian, looking for ways to offer every advantage to Ideal Aerosmith’s customers. For instance, development is now complete on a Trip Guardian which features a thermal chamber that reaches 300˚C, something that has been unheard of until now. “The possibilities are endless,” says Eder. “When our customers ask for something, we listen. After all, their success is critical to our own.