Pipe Inspection Robot Research Articles

Errata for: "Kinematic Analysis and Locomotion Strategy of a Pipe Inspection Robot Concept for Operation in Active Pipelines"

Errata for: "Kinematic Analysis and Locomotion Strategy of a Pipe Inspection Robot Concept for Operation in Active Pipelines"

2P1-R01 永久磁石式リムレスホイールを用いた移動ロボットの運動解析

In petrochemical plants, there are a large number of steel pipes running horizontally, vertically, and obliquely, and inspecting them is difficult and time-consuming. There is therefore a strong demand for practical pipe inspection robots to aid in this task. The aim of the present study is to develop an outer-pipe inspection robot that can move along narrow pipes and wires. Simulation model of mobile robot was developed. The simulation model consists of motion equation. This model has 8 degrees of freedom. Identification of the simulation model was conducted with the mobile robot. Using this model, we evaluate effects of center of gravity on the running stability. The procedure of calculate is Runge-Kutta method. It confirmed that pitch vibration is suppressed by moving center of gravity.

1A1-C01 空気圧アクチュエータを用いた高速配管内推進機構の開発

This study proposes a high-speed locomotion mechanism for a pipe-inspection robot. As a result of the narrow and complex structures of pipeline networks, it is difficult for robots to move quickly within the pipes. The new pneumatic mechanism proposed here realizes high-speed locomotion along with advantageous features for pipe inspection including a small diameter and flexibility. First, we present the design concept of the novel locomotion mechanism using pneumatic flexible hollow-shaft actuators, which was previously developed by the authors. The prototype constructed to realize this concept and the associated mathematical model are then introduced. Second, the basic characteristics of the proposed mechanism are evaluated in terms of the holding force and the impellent force. Finally, the in-pipe movement performance is confirmed. The experimental results show that the designed robot can be propelled inside a 53-mm-diameter pipe at a maximum speed of 250 mm/s, which is exceedingly faster than conventional designs.

Development of a Robotic Boiler Header Inspection Device with Redundant Localization System

A pipe inspection robot, called a boiler header inspection robot (BHIR), is presented in this paper. The BHIR was designed specifically to inspect the inner surfaces of horizontal boiler header pipes in a thermal power plant in Malaysia that is owned by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB). The main challenge was the geometry of a boiler header pipe: the entry diameter is significantly smaller than the diameter of the main pipe body. Currently, there are two versions of the BHIR: 1) the first version, BHIR-I, which was developed for use in manual inspections by carrying a borescope camera inside a boiler header pipe, and 2) the second version, BHIR-II, which has an onboard visual inspection system that can inspect pipes and acquire images independently. The robot was designed to be able to navigate through the pipe geometry. A unique redundant localization system that uses an accelerometer and encoder sensor was developed to ensure that the robot knows the location of the images taken and its own position inside the boiler header pipe. This paper discusses the prototype development, the localization system and site testing conducted to validate the prototype. Based on the test results, the BHIR prototype with redundant localization was proven to be successful.

Magnetic mechanical capsule robot for multiple locomotion mechanisms

This paper proposes a magnetic mechanical capsule robot which crawls in a fluid-filled tube. The developed capsule robot employs two locomotion mechanisms simultaneously. It has spiral ribs at both ends, which are rotated by a small on-board motor. Such rotating spiral structures generate a driving force of the capsule robot. We invented a magnetic mechanical mechanism to transfer the rotational motion of the frontal part into the linear motion of the middle part. Using this original mechanism, the linearly moving part at the middle of the capsule robot generates a supportive driving force. The improved mobility is evaluated in experiments. The developed capsule robot employing multiple locomotion mechanisms moves 44% faster than the spiral motion-based capsule robot. The developed magnetic mechanical mechanism and the mobile robotic platform could be used for pipe inspection robots or medical robots.

613 モジュール化による配管検査ロボットの小型化

613 モジュール化による配管検査ロボットの小型化

Design of the out-pipe type pipe climbing robot

The pipes in plants, including power and chemical plants, require steady maintenance, as the corrosion and abrasion by the fluid within the pipe and from the external environment occur. However, as the process to inspect the pipe is not automated, manual inspection is a very time-consuming job. Therefore, in order to reduce the inspection time and cost, we have proposed the pipe climbing robot for pipe inspection. The presented robot is applicable to plants in operation, because this robot is an out-pipe type, which allows it to move outside of the pipes. And the robot can cover straight as well as bended pipes in various diameters with independently controlled and length adjustable driving wheels. The designs of the mechanism as well as the control system for this robot have been presented and the feasibility of the proposed robot has been demonstrated by the climbing experiments.

Development of sliding type inspection robot using flexible pneumatic cylinder

A pipe inspection robot is required to decrease the inspection cost. In this paper, a sliding type flexible mobile mechanism for the inspection robot was proposed and tested. The mechanisms consist of the open/close claw units and novel flexible pneumatic cylinders that can be driven even if the cylinder bends. The improvement of the sliding mechanism so that it can travel into a narrower pipe was also described. The flexible bending mechanism for changing the direction of the robot was also proposed and tested. As a result, the tested robot can travel in the narrow pipe with inner diameter of 50 mm smoothly by using the open/close unit and the sliding mechanism as an inchworm. The robot can also easily turn in both elbow and pipe tee by changing the body of the robot naturally according to the pipe based on its flexibility.

2A1-P01 連続したエルボ管を有する1 インチガス管通過可能な蠕動運動型検査ロボットの開発(特殊移動ロボット(1))

2A1-P01 連続したエルボ管を有する1 インチガス管通過可能な蠕動運動型検査ロボットの開発(特殊移動ロボット(1))

Novel mechanisms and simple locomotion strategies for an in-pipe robot that can inspect various pipe types

In this paper, we present a new design and simple locomotion strategies for a pipe inspection robot that can travel through various pipe configurations including vertical, elbow, and branch pipes. Two specific mechanisms in the robot are important for successful locomotion: the Adaptable Quad Arm Mechanism (AQAM) and the Swivel Hand Mechanism (SHM). The AQAM allows the robot to travel in reduced branch pipes and branch pipes with zero-radius of curvature, which are both common in real life but which pose a challenge to the previously developed in-pipe robots. The SHM enables the robot to change its orientation, and in particular, allows it to bypass bumps. Modeling and simulations were conducted to test the validity and practicality of the proposed design and strategies. The prototype was able to travel successfully through elbow and vertical pipes with a diameter of 305mm and zero-radius of curvature reduced branch pipes of at least 305mm×259mm to 305mm×290mm or smaller.

Spherical Ultrasonic Motor for Pipe Inspection Robot

We present a pipe inspection robot using a newly developed spherical ultrasonic motor (SUSM) as a camera actuator. The novel SUSM has improved the range of movement compared to previous SUSMs, and the robot can point a camera in any direction. In this study, we determined a method for controlling the rotational direction and strategic control from the kinematics and characteristics of ultrasonic motors. The rotational directions were defined by the phase differences of the applied voltages, and the rotational speeds were changed with the frequencies. Additionally, we developed a very small position sensing system using rotary potentiometers. In the control experiment performed using the sensing system, the SUSM showed the returnability to the default position from several specified points, within an accuracy of 1°.

Kinematic Analysis and Locomotion Strategy of a Pipe Inspection Robot Concept for Operation in Active Pipelines

A robot capable of operating in active pipelines would be of great commercial and industrial benefit. This paper outlines the requirements for such a robot and considers the advantages and disadvantages of existing systems. A new design for an inchworm robot based on the Gough-Stewart parallel platform is presented. The use of inchworm locomotion keeps the control system relatively simple, whilst the use of the Gough-Stewart platform allows the robot to benefit from the accuracy, rigidity and speed of parallel robots and provides a flexible base for any manipulators the robot may use. The design aims to provide minimal resistance to fluid flow by providing a low frontal area and by distributing the body of the robot towards the edge of the pipe, where the flow is slowest. An analysis of the robot’s degrees of freedom, a derivation of the robot’s inverse kinematics equations, and a static force analysis are presented along with a description of the robot’s proposed locomotion algorithm.

管径適応型管内移動ロボットの研究:第12報:グリップパッドの開発による推進力の増大

管径適応型管内移動ロボットの研究:第12報:グリップパッドの開発による推進力の増大

G150021 管内移動ロボットの開発([G15002]ロボティクス・メカトロニクス部門一般セッシヨン(2))

G150021 管内移動ロボットの開発([G15002]ロボティクス・メカトロニクス部門一般セッシヨン(2))

The Design and Analysis of a Feeder Pipe Inspection Robot With an Automatic Pipe Tracking System

The feeder pipes in a pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) suffer from flow-assisted corrosion (FAC), which makes the wall thickness of the pipes thin. This effect is a well-known degradation mechanism of a carbon pipe with high pressure and high flow rate. Therefore, the weak parts of the pipe should be measured to guarantee the safety. This paper describes a mobile out-pipe inspection robot with an automatic pipe tracking system for a feeder pipe inspection in a PHWR. The robot is composed of dual inch worm mechanisms. One is for a longitudinal motion along a pipe, and the other is for a rotational motion in a circumferential direction to access all of the outer surfaces of a pipe. A design method for a gripper actuator is proposed by using a kinematic and force analysis. The proposed mechanism shows a more stable gripping capability than the conventional ones. An automatic pipe tracking system is proposed based on machine vision techniques to make the mobile robot follow the exact outer circumference of a curved feeder pipe as closely as possible, which is one of the requirements of a thickness measurement system for a feeder pipe. The proposed sensing technique is analyzed to verify its feasibility and to develop a calibration method for an accurate measurement. A mobile robot and control system are developed, and the automatic pipe tracking system is tested in a mockup of a feeder pipe.

Development and Fuzzy Control of a Pipe Inspection Robot

A new pipe inspection robot, called the National Taiwan University (NTU) Navigator, is described in this paper. The NTU Navigator is lightweight, modularly designed, and easily manipulated and repaired. The robot consists of camera, steering, driving, and functional mechanism modules. Each module has its own control circuit and functions. In addition, a new stretch mechanism is designed and optimized in order to adapt the robot to pipes of various radii. The robot can be easily controlled using GUI on a PC. A stable and smooth fuzzy steering controller for operating inside the pipes is constructed. The stability and performance of the fuzzy controller are shown and compared with both the conventional proportional-integral-derivative controller and the flatness-based controller. Simulations and experiments further justify the performance of the NTU Navigator.

2A1-E10 全方向移動型配管検査ロボット

A new configuration of inner pipe inspection robot is proposed, by which the robot can go through the elbow pipe, and can select a direction at the T-shape intersection. The concept is that omni-directional wheels equipped side by side produces a propulsion of forward/backward, heading moment to left/right, and axial turning. A trial manufactured robot with 4-omni-wheels demonstrates a good performance in a 200mm diameter pipe.

The Model and Simulation of a Mini Robot with Active Structure Adaptable to the Pipe Diameter

In this paper, the authors present a robot for pipe inspection and exploration, which has in its structure a module for the maintenance of a constant pressure force between the robot’s wheels and the inside diameter of the pipe. The paper starts with a short introduction about necessity of the presented solution followed by design aspects and finalizing with the test of the developed compliant module.

S1605-2-3 管状環境検査ロホットにおける自己位置推定手法に関する研究(人と協調する機械の知能化(2),社会変革を技術で廻す機械工学)

With regard to the current sewer pipe inspection technology, all commercial robots are completely tele-operated, usually via a tether cable, by a human operator. In addition, current sewer inspection robots have a poor mobility function to pass any kind of pipe-bends such as curves and junctions so that those robots are only capable to move into the straight pipes. Inspecting the sewage pipes using the state of the arts inspection methods by the current robots is costly, mostly human cost, and not fast enough to check and inspect the amount of sewage pipes will grow stronger than it has actually happened, especially in Japan. We have been working on sewer pipe inspection robots called "KANTARO" which have the specific mechanical structure to move on curves and junctions with simple motion control algorithm. In this paper we propose a self-localization method using passive arms attached on the both sides of robot.

Pipe inspection robot using a wireless communication system

Pipe lines of any material need to be inspected after a certain number of years. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a flexible pipe inspection robot using a wireless communication system. In this research, a wireless communication system is tested, and it is verified that the system can transmit image information steadily at a high speed. On the basis of this wireless communication system, a new pipe inspection robot for drain pipes is developed. With this new system, the movement of the robot can be controlled, defects or other problems inside a pipe can be inspected, and an image of the inside of the pipe can also be transmitted in real time.