• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.22 no.6 s.171
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• pp.98-108
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• 2005

Conventional robot manipulators actuated by motors with the speed reducer such as the harmonic drive have weakness in the load capacity, since the speed reducer does not have enough strength. To improve this, a new type of robot actuator based on the four-bar-link mechanism driven by the ball screw was constructed. Also, a new type of revolute robot manipulator composed of the developed actuators was developed. But, modelling errors occur due to the off-set from the nominal model since the exact modeling of the complex inertia variation of the four-bar-link actuator is very difficult. To control the proposed robot along the prescribed trajectory, a sliding mode control algorithm was applied with compensation function for the modeling errors. To show performance of the proposed controller, a computer simulation was performed, and its results was presented.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.123-129
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• 2012

Recently, interests on cleaning robots workable in pipes (termed as in-pipe cleaning robot) are increasing because Garbage Automatic Collection Facilities (i.e, GACF) are widely being installed in Seoul metropolitan area of Korea. So far research on in-pipe robot has been focused on inspection rather than cleaning. In GACF, when garbage is moving, the impurities which are stuck to the inner face of the pipe are removed (diameter: 300 mm or 400 mm). Thus, in this paper, by using TRIZ (Inventive Theory of Problem Solving in Russian abbreviation), an in-pipe cleaning robot of GACF with the 6-link sliding mechanism will be proposed, which can be adjusted to fit into the inner face of pipe using pneumatic pressure(not spring). The proposed in-pipe cleaning robot for GACF can have forward/backward movement itself as well as rotation of brush in cleaning. The robot body should have the limited size suitable for the smaller pipe with diameter of 300 mm. In addition, for the pipe with diameter of 400 mm, the links of robot should stretch to fit into the diameter of the pipe by using the sliding mechanism. Based on the conceptual design using TRIZ, we will set up the initial design of the robot in collaboration with a field engineer of Robot Valley, Inc. in Korea. For the optimal design of in-pipe cleaning robot, the maximum impulsive force of collision between the robot and the inner face of pipe is simulated by using RecurDyn(R) when the link of sliding mechanism is stretched to fit into the 400 mm diameter of the pipe. The stresses exerted on the 6 links of sliding mechanism by the maximum impulsive force will be simulated by using ANSYS$^{(R)}$ Workbench based on the Design Of Experiment(in short DOE). Finally the optimal dimensions including thicknesses of 4 links will be decided in order to have the best safety factor as 2 in this paper as well as having the minimum mass of 4 links. It will be verified that the optimal design of 4 links has the best safety factor close to 2 as well as having the minimum mass of 4 links, compared with the initial design performed by the expert of Robot Valley, Inc. In addition, the prototype of in-pipe cleaning robot will be stated with further research.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2011.06a
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• pp.323-324
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• 2011