Pipe inspection robot actuated by using compressed air

Abstract

Pipes are everywhere; they are used in power plants, chemical plants, and gas, oil supply system. The high temperature and high pressure piping for power plants, you have to go through the gas that may remain inside the piping, the use of the electric driving device is limited. This is a robot that mimics the motion of inchworms. This robot has limited the use of electric driving devices that can be used in pipes. So, the robot does not use electric driving devices. It consists of two ball joints, and two clamping and one expansion devices, which use the compressed air as the driving sources; Clamping operation was consists of two-bar-link. And the single rod cylinder possible by the robot was moving. It can move along the vertical and horizontal directions, and also 90° - bent section of the pipe with the aid of the ball joints. This robot is a vertical, horizontal, bent pipe can be moved. The robot can be used with the pipe sizes from 100mm in diameter to 300mm in diameter.