Modeling and Fabrication of a Mobile Inspection Microrobot Driven by a Pneumatic Bellows Actuator for Long Pipes

Manabu Ono; Toshiaki Hamano; Shigeo Kato

doi:10.20965/jrm.2006.p0011

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JRM Vol.18 No.1 pp. 11-17

doi: 10.20965/jrm.2006.p0011

(2006)

Paper:

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Modeling and Fabrication of a Mobile Inspection Microrobot Driven by a Pneumatic Bellows Actuator for Long Pipes

Manabu Ono^*, Toshiaki Hamano^, and Shigeo Kato^

^*Tokyo Metropolitan College of Technology, 1-10-40 Higashi-Oi, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140-0011, Japan

^**Nippon Institute of Technology, 4-1 Gakuendai, Miyashiro, Saitama 340-8501, Japan

Received:

October 4, 2004

Accepted:

April 26, 2005

Published:

February 20, 2006

Keywords:

modeling, fabrication, microrobot, pneumatic bellows actuator, long pipe

Abstract

This paper details the modeling and fabrication of an in-pipe mobile inspection microrobot able to move long distances on small diameter pipes using pneumatic and vacuum pressure switched by an electromagnetic valve for driving the microrobot. We propose that the electromagnetic valve be used near the pneumatic actuator to move the distance. A pneumatic pressure of +300kPa and vacuum pressure of -80kPa are supplied to the electromagnetic valve by two air tubes 140m long. The microrobot with four friction rings at both ends of the actuator moves 20m in 15 minutes on vinyl chloride pipe with an inner diameter of 44mm.

Cite this article as:

M. Ono, T. Hamano, and S. Kato, “Modeling and Fabrication of a Mobile Inspection Microrobot Driven by a Pneumatic Bellows Actuator for Long Pipes,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.18 No.1, pp. 11-17, 2006.

Data files:

References

[1] Y. Kawaguchi, I. Yoshida, K. Iwao, and T. Kikuta, “Control of an In-pipe Inspection Robot for Iron Pipes,” Journal of the Robotics Society of Japan, Vol.15, No.3, pp. 387-393, 1997 (in Japanese).
[2] T. Yamaguchi, Y. Kagawa, I. Hayashi, N. Iwatsuki, K. Morikawa, and K. Nakamura, “Research of In-pipe Microrobot able to Climb Steps Used the Screw Principle,” Journal of the Japan Society for Precision Engineerling, Vol.66, No.4, pp. 606-611, 2000 (in Japanese).
[3] T. Noritugu, and M. Kubota, “Development of In-pipe Mobile Robot using Pneumatic Soft-Actuator,” Journal of the Robotics Society of Japan, Vol.18, No.6, pp. 831-838, 2000 (in Japanese).
[4] S. Kato, and T. Hirayama, “Fabrication of Artificial Earthworms Driven by Pneumatic Pressure,” Proceedings of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Centennial Grand Congress, Intelligent Motion-control, Power transmission and Tribology, pp. 671-674, 1997 (in Japanese).
[5] M. Takahashi, I. Hayashi, N. Iwatsuki, K. Suzumori, and N. Ohki, “The Development of an In-pipe Microrobot Applying the Motion of an Earthworm,” Journal of the Japan Society for Precision Engineering, Vol.61, No.1, pp. 90-94, 1995 (in Japanese).

This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationa License.

[1] [1] Y. Kawaguchi, I. Yoshida, K. Iwao, and T. Kikuta, “Control of an In-pipe Inspection Robot for Iron Pipes,” Journal of the Robotics Society of Japan, Vol.15, No.3, pp. 387-393, 1997 (in Japanese).

[2] [2] T. Yamaguchi, Y. Kagawa, I. Hayashi, N. Iwatsuki, K. Morikawa, and K. Nakamura, “Research of In-pipe Microrobot able to Climb Steps Used the Screw Principle,” Journal of the Japan Society for Precision Engineerling, Vol.66, No.4, pp. 606-611, 2000 (in Japanese).

[3] [3] T. Noritugu, and M. Kubota, “Development of In-pipe Mobile Robot using Pneumatic Soft-Actuator,” Journal of the Robotics Society of Japan, Vol.18, No.6, pp. 831-838, 2000 (in Japanese).

[4] [4] S. Kato, and T. Hirayama, “Fabrication of Artificial Earthworms Driven by Pneumatic Pressure,” Proceedings of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Centennial Grand Congress, Intelligent Motion-control, Power transmission and Tribology, pp. 671-674, 1997 (in Japanese).

[5] [5] M. Takahashi, I. Hayashi, N. Iwatsuki, K. Suzumori, and N. Ohki, “The Development of an In-pipe Microrobot Applying the Motion of an Earthworm,” Journal of the Japan Society for Precision Engineering, Vol.61, No.1, pp. 90-94, 1995 (in Japanese).

Modeling and Fabrication of a Mobile Inspection Microrobot Driven by a Pneumatic Bellows Actuator for Long Pipes

Manabu Ono*, Toshiaki Hamano**, and Shigeo Kato**

Manabu Ono^*, Toshiaki Hamano^, and Shigeo Kato^