A Robotic Vehicle System for Conveyor Inspection in Mining

摘要

Environments in mining are harsh and demanding to any equipment. This paper introduces a new rail-guided robotic vehicle system as a sensor carrier for inspection and condition monitoring, specifically for belt conveyors mining. It shows how mechanics, electronics, and embedded controls were designed and combined to a rugged mechatronic system with reliable motion performance and functionality. It also demonstrates the importance of 3D FDM printing as an enabling technology.