Development of the inpipe robot for various sizes

Abstract

Pipes are everywhere; they are used in power plants, chemical plants, and gas, oil and water supply systems. An inpipe robot is developed, whose movement is copied from the inchworm in nature. It consists of two universal joints, and two clamping and one expansion devices, which use the compressed air as the energy source; the clamping devices are operated by using the four-bar-link mechanism. It can move along the vertical and horizontal directions, and also 90°-bent section of the pipe with the aid of the universal joints. The robot can be used with the various sizes from 100-mm in diameter to 300-mm in diameter. Because the robot is actuated by using the compressed air, the potential applications will be various such as the inspection of the boiler pipes in a power plant, of chemical pipes, and of gas, oil, and water pipes.