Pipe Inspection Robots for Structural Health and Condition Monitoring

Structural control and health monitoring as condition monitoring are some essential areas that allow for different system parameters to be designed, supervised, controlled, and evaluated during the system’s operation in different processes, such as those used in machinery, structures, and different physical variables in mechanical, chemical, electrical, aeronautical, civil, electronics, mechatronics, and agricultural engineering applications, among others [...]

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Acoustic Echo-Localization for Pipe Inspection Robots

2020 IEEE International Conference on Multisensor Fusion and Integration for Intelligent Systems (MFI) ◽

10.1109/mfi49285.2020.9235225 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Rob Worley ◽

Yicheng Yu ◽

Sean Anderson

Keyword(s):

Pipe Inspection ◽

Acoustic Echo ◽

Inspection Robots

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Development of a Smart Sensor System with Application to In-Pipe Inspection Robots

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.762.169 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 762 ◽

pp. 169-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Leon Brai ◽

Radu Balan ◽

Ciprian Lapusan

Keyword(s):

Mobile Robot ◽

Sensor System ◽

Smart Sensor ◽

Pipe Network ◽

Pipe Inspection ◽

Network Parameters ◽

Inspection Robots

The paper presents the development of a smart sensor system that is used for measuring pipe network parameters. The developed sensor is intended for use with in pipe inspection robots that can independently explore and evaluate the constructive parameters and the condition of the pipe network. The proposed system is developed around the Atmel ATMega16 microcontroller which is connected to a set of sensors and to the robot. The sensor system was tested using the ROBIN250 mobile robot and the obtained results are presented in the paper.

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Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of Machine Using a Combination of Non-Destructive Testing for Heavy Manufacturing Industry

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/202018401059 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 184 ◽

pp. 01059

Author(s):

Ashish Khaira ◽

Ravi. K. Dwivedi ◽

Sanjay Jain

Keyword(s):

Structural Health Monitoring ◽

Condition Monitoring ◽

Health Monitoring ◽

Manufacturing Industry ◽

Research Work ◽

Cost Benefit ◽

Life Cycles ◽

Destructive Testing ◽

Structural Health ◽

Non Destructive

Markets are affected by assorted consumer requirements, which insist on superior quality, shorter delivery time, better customer support, and lower prices. Simultaneously, product life cycles are becoming shorter. Success relies on having either a cost-benefit or a value benefit, or, both in any competitive context. Therefore, non-destructive techniques (NDT) become vital but in the conventional system, the maintenance personnel has to visit the machine that consumes time and energy. In the present COVID-19 situation and to save energy and time, there is a necessity of making condition monitoring contactless as much as possible. Therefore, in this research work, a structural health monitoring analysis presented that covers: firstly, enlisting of the NDT infrastructure commonly available in heavy manufacturing industries; secondly, common causes and reasons of machine failures and finally, discusses need of embedded structural health monitoring (e-SHM) system with the combination of NDT in place of existing monitoring practice. The presented work suggested that a combination of NDT with e-SHM is better for timely fault detection to ensure effective condition monitoring.

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nSIR: A Novel Passive-Active Intelligent Moving Mechanism for Sewer Inspection Robots

Dynamic Systems and Control, Parts A and B ◽

10.1115/imece2006-14265 ◽

2006 ◽

Author(s):

Amir A. F. Forough Nassiraei ◽

Yoshikazu Mikuriya ◽

Kazuo Ishii

Keyword(s):

Sewer Pipe ◽

Passive Damping ◽

Pipe Inspection ◽

Straight Pipe ◽

Sensor Reading ◽

Modeling Simulation ◽

Mobility Function ◽

Diameter Pipe ◽

Inspection Robots ◽

Sewer Inspection

In the current sewer pipe inspection technology, all commercial sewer inspection robots have a poor mobility function to pass any kind of pipe-bends such as curves and junctions so that those robots are only capable to move into the straight pipes. In this paper, we describe the design, modeling, simulation and implementation of a compact and novel moving mechanism, called "nSIR mechanism", with capability of moving into the straight pipe and passing different kinds of pipe bends without need to any intelligence of the controller or sensor reading. The design is based on the concept of passive adaptation of robot wheels to the bends in the pipe. This is accomplished by proper wheels orientation and passive damping of springs. In addition, this moving mechanism has capability to pass the different size of pipes in diameter even from a bigger diameter pipe to smaller diameter and also can pass obstacle and go down step. After describing the principle of nSIR mechanism, this paper gives experimentally that a prototype of our robot "KANTARO" includes of this mechanism can realize all the above movement functions.

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Structural health and condition monitoring via electrical impedance tomography in self-sensing materials: a review

Smart Materials and Structures ◽

10.1088/1361-665x/abb352 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (12) ◽

pp. 123001

Author(s):

Tyler N Tallman ◽

Danny J Smyl

Keyword(s):

Electrical Impedance Tomography ◽

Condition Monitoring ◽

Electrical Impedance ◽

Impedance Tomography ◽

Structural Health

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An In-Pipe Mobile Robot for Use as an Industrial Endoscope Based on an Earthworm’s Peristaltic Crawling

Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics ◽

10.20965/jrm.2012.p1054 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 24 (6) ◽

pp. 1054-1062 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Shota Horii ◽

◽

Taro Nakamura

Keyword(s):

Mobile Robot ◽

Motion Pattern ◽

Pipe Inspection ◽

Brushless Motors ◽

Robot Locomotion ◽

Propulsion Force ◽

Locomotion Speed ◽

Inner Diameter ◽

Pass Through ◽

Inspection Robots

Many pipe accidents caused by corrosion or deterioration have been reported recently; hence, in-pipe inspection is needed to prevent such problems. Fiberscopes are currently used as industrial endoscopes to inspect defects in pipes. Because of friction, however, they cannot be inserted into pipes that are more than 15 m long or into complex pipes such as elbows. Therefore in-pipe inspection robots need to be selfpropelled in order to be inserted into these environments. We are developing a robot capable of propelling itself through various pipes, such as long pipes and elbow pipes, specifically, a peristaltic crawling robot using DC brushless motors for in-pipe inspection. In this study, the robot we developed was used in straight and elbow pipes with an inner diameter of 27 mm. In this paper, we derive theoretical formulas for robot locomotion speed and propulsion force and propose a special motion pattern, known as the middle motion pattern, for the robot’s peristaltic crawling pattern. We performed several experiments in a 27-mm-diameter acrylic pipe to examine the locomotion speed and propulsion force. We also developed a robot that can pass through an elbow and conducted several experiments to confirm this.

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Development of Internal Gas Pipe Inspection Robot

Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics ◽

10.20965/jrm.1995.p0371 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 7 (5) ◽

pp. 371-376 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yoshifumi Kawaguchi ◽

◽

Itsuo Yoshida ◽

Keizo Iwao ◽

Takashi Kikuta

Keyword(s):

Power Supply ◽

Communication System ◽

Fiber Optic ◽

Pipe Inspection ◽

Inspection Robot ◽

Fiber Optic Communication ◽

Optic Communication ◽

Inspection Robots ◽

Dual Mechanism ◽

Plug Valve

This paper describes a new mechanism and communication system for an in-pipe inspection robot. To date, inspection robots have been limited as to their mobility to turn in a T -shaped pipe or move in a plug valve. The new mechanism based on our dual magnetic wheels overcomes these limitations without difficult controls. This dual mechanism, resembling a crawler, enable the robot to climb over steep obstacles like sleeves and dresser joints. Another drawback of earlier robots is that the friction between the pipes and the cables for communication and power supply makes it difficult for them to move long distances. A fiber-optic communication system can reduce such friction. The spools of the fiber-optic communication cables and batteries are mounted on the robot and the cables are rolled or unrolled when the robot is moving forward or backward, respectively. An experimental inspection robot has been made to confirm the efficiency of the new mechanism. However, the robot fell off a Tshaped pipe when it attempted to turn in the pipe with its position being inadequate. It is difficult to eliminate such inadequacy because the robot might be disturbed while attempting to avoid a plug or because of sensors functioning uncertainly. For that reason, a mechanism which makes a robot twist is adopted. The improved experimental robot successfully turned in a T-shaped pipe even when its position was inadequate.

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