Nexterity Targets Industrial Pipefitting Automation

Nexterity, a startup founded by former ExxonMobil engineer and planner Lindsey Elliott, is developing a remote-controlled robot designed to automate the loosening and tightening of bolted flange joints. According to reporting from TechCrunch, the hardware is intended to address low productivity and a labor shortage within the North American pipefitting industry, where workers often face injuries and exhaustion from performing repetitive physical labor.

The robot consists of two battery-powered pieces that attach to a pipe, allowing it to slide and manage four bolts simultaneously. To ensure portability, Elliott designed the units to fit within a Pelican case for easy deployment by a single worker. Nexterity's business model treats the robots as rental construction equipment.

Elliott told TechCrunch that the company developed various configurations to accommodate standard pipe sizes, specifically targeting the NPS2 to NPS8 range (two to eight inches in diameter), which accounts for 80% of piping. This repeatability makes the niche a candidate for automation. While the focus is on oil, gas, and petrochemicals, Elliott noted the technology's applicability across several other sectors, including nuclear, mining, food and beverage, water treatment, and sustainable manufacturing.

Nexterity has been selected as part of the Startup Battlefield 200 for TechCrunch Disrupt.