Development of High Traction In-pipe Robot Adjustable 500~800 mm Pipe and Verification of the Capability

Abstract

Recently, various in-pipe robots have been developed, but they are difficult to apply to the field due to their short driving distance. In order to increase the mileage of the piping robot, traction is an essential element, especially for running in pipes. In this paper, we propose a high traction piping robot capable of running mid to long distance inside pipes. The running performance of the designed piping robot was confirmed through multi-body dynamics analysis, and structural stability of the robot was reviewed through structural analysis. In addition, the performance of the manufactured robot was verified by comparing the traction force of the manufactured robot with the analysis result, and the climbing performance was confirmed through a driving test on the pipe test bed. As a result, a high-traction pipe robot can tow 400 kgf of auxiliary equipment and can move vertical and horizontal curved pipes with a diameter of 500 to 800 mm up to 45 degrees.