Abstract
This paper proposes a magnetic actuator using multiple vibration components to perform locomotion in a complex pipe with a 25 mm inner diameter. Due to the desire to increase the turning moment in a T-junction pipe, two vibration components were attached off-center to an acrylic plate with an eccentricity of 2 mm. The experimental results show that the magnetic actuator was able to move at 40.6 mm/s while pulling a load mass of 20 g in a pipe with an inner diameter of 25 mm. In addition, this magnetic actuator was able to move stably in U-junction and T-junction pipes. If a micro-camera is implemented in the future, the inspection of small complex pipes can be enabled. The possibility of inspection in pipes with a 25 mm inner diameter was shown by equipping the pipe with a micro-camera.
Highlights
There are several pipes in power generating units and chemical plants
This paper proposes a new type of magnetic actuator capable of locomotion in a small complex pipe with a U-junction and a T-junction
A new type of magnetic actuator is proposed that is capable of locomotion in a complex pipe
Summary
There are several pipes in power generating units and chemical plants. The inspection of existing corrosion and cracks is conducted in a pipe to check the soundness of these pipes. An actuator combined with an electromagnetic force and mechanical vibration was previously proposed by the authors [15,16,17,18,19]. Robots capable of inspection in a pipe with an inner diameter of 25 mm have not yet been developed except in a small study [20]. This paper proposes a new type of magnetic actuator capable of locomotion in a small complex pipe with a U-junction and a T-junction. Vibration components 1 and 2 had permanent magnets springs with thethe same properties. When a direct current of 0.2 A was inputted to electromagnets 11 and 2, the surface magnetic flux density with the iron plate was 16.69 mT, whereas that without the iron plate was 10.93 mT.
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