New in-pipe robot capable of coping with various diameters

Abstract

This paper describes a new robot capable of inspecting pipes with different diameters. The robot is composed of units and connecting links. One unit is used for the robot to move in a straight pipe, while two or more units are needed to move and turn in a divergent pipe. Several experiments are conducted in the pipes with different diameters, and the effectiveness of the mechanism of the robot is confirmed.