Worm Robot with Dynamic Adaptation to Pipe Diameter for In-Pipe Inspection 1

Abstract

This paper proposes an in-pipe inspection robot that can adapt to changes in pipe diameter. The sophisticated design and configuration of the robot enables it to travel autonomously through pipes and adapt to diameters changing from 65mm to 220mm. It consists of two clamping modules and one module for steering and locomotion. The clamping modules utilize flexible spring sheets to enable the robot to dynamically adjust its radial dimension and clamping force to attach to pipes of different inner diameters and handle sudden or smooth changes in pipe diameters. A middle module is engineered to enable the robot to not only propel through the pipeline, but also to steer into the desired direction when approaching elbows or junctions . The robot finds its obstacle-free path using a set of sensors mounted on the robot nose.