HanGrawler 2: Super-high-speed and Large-payload Ceiling Mobile Robot Using Crawler

Abstract

Ceiling mobile robots are anticipated for trans-porting component parts in production sites. In our previous study, we had developed a crawler-type ceiling mobile robot named "HanGrawler." In this study, we aim to realize 1 m/s and 90°/s speed movement on par with existing ground carriers, and reveal the factors contributing to the improvement in speed and stabilization. Accordingly, we develop HanGrawler 2, which inherits the basic approach of HanGrawler. In HanGrawler 2, the mechanism for hanging from the ceiling moves faster, and the driving power of the linear and rotational movements is improved drastically. Newly installed sensors detect the hanging mechanism and robot body position relative to the ceiling plate. By calculating the insertion timing based on the position of the hanging mechanism, the certainty of insertion is improved. Support rollers pressed against the ceiling stabilize the traveling posture of HanGrawler 2. Performance evaluation experiments confirm that HanGrawler 2 can travel linearly at a speed of 1 m/s with a 40 kg load and turn at a rotational speed of 90°/s. Based on the experimental results, it is confirmed that the design solutions for HanGrawler 2 are effective in realizing reliable ceiling mobility and that the high-responsiveness inherited from the original HanGrawler mechanism contributes to the realization of high-speed movement.