Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
, 2012
Research Paper
Inspection robots are used in many fields of industry. One application is monitoring the inside of
the pipes and channels, recognizing and solving problems through the interior of pipes or channels.
Automated inspection of the inner surface of a pipe can be achieved by a mobile robot. Because
pipelines are typically buried underground, they are in contact with the soil and subject to corrosion,
where the steel pipe wall oxidizes, and effectively reducing wall thickness. Although its less
common, corrosion also can occur on the inside surface of the pipe and reduces the strength of
the pipe. If crack goes undetected and becomes severe, the pipe can leak and, in rare cases,
fail catastrophically. Extensive efforts are made to mitigate corrosion. Pipe inspection is
necessary to locate defects due to corrosion and wear while the pipe is transporting fluids. This
ability is necessary especially when one should inspect an underground pipe. In this work, Pipe
Inspection Robot (PIR) with ability to move inside horizontal and vertical pipes has been designed
and fabricated. The robot consists of a motor for driving and camera for monitoring.
Keywords: PIR, Inspection robot, Pipe inspection, Pipe defects, Mobile robot
Recently, many troubles occur in pipelines, and should have high magnetic susceptibility and
most of them are caused by aging, corrosion, should be good conductor of electricity. The
cracks, and mechanical damages from the materials are copper and so on. But aluminum
third parties. Currently, the applications of is chosen as the materials for the linkages and
robots for the maintenance of the pipeline central body because of its much-desired
utilities are considered as one of the most properties.
attractive solutions available (Mhramatsu
Aluminum has lightweight and strength; it
et al., 2000) Pipe Inspection Robot is shown
can be used in a variety of applications.
in Figure 1.
Aluminum alloys with a wide range of
properties are used in engineering structures.
Figure 1: Pipe Inspection Robot (PIR)
The strength and durability of aluminum alloys
vary widely, not only because of the
components of the specific alloy, but also
because of heat treatments and manufacturing
processes.
Effect of Temperature:
Another important property of aluminum alloys
is their sensitivity to heat. W orkshop
procedures involving heating are complicated
by the fact that aluminum, unlike steel, will melt
without first glowing red. Aluminum alloys, like
all structural alloys, are also subject to internal
SELECTION OF MATERIALS stresses following heating operations such as
welding and casting. The problem with
The materials used for this machine are light
aluminum alloys in this regard is their low
and rigid. Different materials can be used for
melting point, which make them more
different parts of the robot. For optimum use
susceptible to distortions from thermally
of power the materials used should be light
induced stress relief.
and strong. Wood is light but it is subjected to
wear if used for this machine. Metals are the The toughness, as measured by crack
ideal materials for the robot as most if the propagation energy, decreases as yield
plastics cannot be as strong as metals. Material stress increases.
should be ductile, less brittleness, malleable, At the same yield stress, the under aged
and high magnetic susceptibility. structure has greater toughness than the
Among the metals, aluminum is the material over aged structure.
chosen for the linkages and the common rod,
which is made as hollow for reduction in weight. MECHANISM
However, other materials are chosen for the The mechanism involved here is a four bar
motor. The materials chosen for the motor mechanism consisting of three revolute joints
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Int. J. Mech. Eng. & Rob. Res. 2012 E Navin Prasad et al., 2012
and one prismatic joint as depicted (Figure 2) consisting of three revolute joins and one
(Paul E Sandin, 2003). prismatic as depicted. Thus, the motion of
all revolute joints can be described in terms
Figure 2: Mechanism of PIR of the displacement db (Jadran and Roth,
Mechanism of Pipe Inspection Robot
2006).
Static Analysis
In order to decide the actuator size, it is
necessary to perform the static analysis.
Assume that in (Figure 4), Fcx and Fcz denote
the reaction force and the traction force exerted
on the four-bar by the driving wheel,
respectively. Now applying the virtual work
principle to the free-body diagram of (Figure
H = 2r + 2d + 2h2cos 4) gives:
DESIGN
Helical Spring (Figure 5)
Inner dia 20 mm
Outer dia 24 mm
Pitch 5 mm
Length of the spring 60 mm Wheel
Material Stainless steel Dia 50 mm
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Int. J. Mech. Eng. & Rob. Res. 2012 E Navin Prasad et al., 2012
Links
Each resistant body in a machine which moves
relative to another resistant body is called
Kinematic link or element. A resistant body is
which do not go under deformation while
transmitting the force. Links (Figure 10) are
the major part of the robot which translates
motion. Links are connected to form a linkage.
The mechanism involved here is a 4 bar
mechanism which has 3 revolute pairs and
1 single prismatic pairs as depicted. Links
holds the receiver, switch, and 9v battery for
the camera. Also it supports the actuator.
Translational Element
Translational Element (Figure 9) is the Figure 10: Links
movable part in the robot which slides along
the central body for repositioning in case
of pipe diameter variation. This element is
drilled at the centre for the translating along
the central body. This will restrict the links
to some extreme angles beyond which it
could not be translated. The extreme angles
are found to be 15 degrees and 60 degrees.
The joints are brazed on the translational
element at 120 degrees for the links to be
fixed onto it.
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Int. J. Mech. Eng. & Rob. Res. 2012 E Navin Prasad et al., 2012
There are various drilling tools or drilling temperature is above 840 F (450 C) but
machines available. The drilling machine used below the melting point of the metals being
was the radial drilling machine. joined (Figure 13).
Radial Arm Drill Machine Figure 13: Principle of Brazing
The biggest radial arm drill presses are able
to drill holes as large as four inches (101.6 mm) Broad Heat to Filler Metal Applied,
in diameter. But for this project only holes of Base Metals Instantly Melted and
Drawn Through Joint
5 mm and 6 mm were needed. The drilling was
done on the aluminum sheets for the required
dimensions and then the finished component
was filed and reverses drilled using a larger
drill bit for a good finish.
Boring Operation
The boring process can be carried out on a A brazed joint is made in a completely
lathe for smaller operations, but for larger different way from a welded joint. The first big
production pieces a special boring mill (work difference is n temperature. Brazing doesnt
piece rotation around a vertical axis) or a melt the base metals. So, brazing temperatures
horizontal boring machine (rotation around are invariably lower than the melting points of
horizontal axis) are used. A tapered hole can the base metals. If brazing doesnt fuse the
also be made by swiveling the head. base metals, how does it join them? It joins
them by creating a metallurgical bond between
Gas Welding
the filler metal and the surfaces of the two
The most common gas welding process is metals being joined (Figure 14).
oxyfuel welding, also known as oxyacetylene
welding. It is still widely used for welding pipes Surface Grinding Operation is used to
and tubes, as well as repair work. Oxy fuel produce a smooth finish on flat surfaces.
equipment is versatile, lending itself not only
Figure 14: Bonding at Interfaces
to some sorts of iron or steel welding but also
to brazing, braze-welding, metal heating (for Brazing Filler Metal 0.003
bending and forming), and also oxyfuel Thick (0.076 mm)
cutting.
Base Matel
The equipment is relatively inexpensive and
simple, generally employing the combustion
of acetylene in oxygen to produce a welding
flame temperature of about 3100 C. Base Matel
Brazing
Brazing is the joining of metals through the use
Metallurgical Bonding at Interfaces
of heat and a filler metalone whose melting
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Int. J. Mech. Eng. & Rob. Res. 2012 E Navin Prasad et al., 2012
Wireless Wireless
Transmitter Camera