• 로봇학회논문지
• /
• 제5권3호
• /
• pp.251-261
• /
• 2010

In this paper, we introduce an internal pipeline exploration of an in-pipe robot, based on the landmark recognition system. The fittings of pipelines such as elbows and branches are used as the landmarks. The robot recognizes the landmarks with a vision system by using the shadows of the elements, which are generated by the specially designed illuminator on the robot. By using a simple image-processing, the robot can easily detect and distinguish these landmarks while recognizing the direction of the pipeline path. Simultaneously, all information for exploration is continuously recorded and used to reconstruct the map of the pipelines. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by real experiments using the in-pipe robot MRINSPECT V for moving inside of the miniature urban 8-inch gas pipeline structure.

• 한국정밀공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국정밀공학회 2011년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
• /
• pp.439-440
• /
• 2011

• 한국공작기계학회논문집
• /
• 제12권1호
• /
• pp.8-15
• /
• 2003

The cylindrical object such as a water pipe or an oil pipeline are widely used in the infrastructure. Those pipes should be inspected periodically by human or a robot. However, since there is no edge or vertex in the pipe, it is very difficult for the robot to navigate along the pipe. In this paper in order to guide the robot along the axis of the pipe, an algorithm which find the axis using the measured range data from the robot to the pipe wall is developed The algorithm is verified using both the simulated range data and the measured one.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제32권1호
• /
• pp.175-183
• /
• 2008

In this paper, a new in-pipe inspection robot was developed for inspecting a large number of circular pipe insides of the sea plant, ships, and buildings. A new pressure generation system was devised to inspect circular pipes with different diameters and to move up and down slant or perpendicular slopes inside of the pipe. Also, a design method was analyzed to decide the capacity of driving motor for the robot if the mass and maximum velocity of the robot are identified. According to the design specification, a robot was developed and was tested to verify the performance of the pressure generation system. For tests, a control system was developed.

• 한국정밀공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국정밀공학회 2010년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
• /
• pp.361-362
• /
• 2010

• 한국정보통신학회논문지
• /
• 제13권3호
• /
• pp.602-607
• /
• 2009

기존의 대부분의 각종 파이프 탐사로봇은 고정크기로 유선 케이블 통신방식으로 구성되어 사용되고 있다. 파이프 굴곡과 각도(수평, 기울어 짐, 수직)를 가지는 파이프 구조에서는 파이프 탐사작업이 매우 어려운 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 탐사로봇의 구조를 파이프를 스프링의 장력으로 밖으로 밀어내는 방식으로 제안 설계하였으며 통신방식을 RF 통신방식으로 변경 개선하였다. 이와 같은 구조 및 기능 개선으로 인해 로봇 한대로 허용오차내의 파이프 크기와 굴곡에 적응이 가능함으로써 운용의 효율성이 제고되었으며 파이프 내부의 문제점(균열, 부식, 슬러지 등)을 사전 모니터링하고 DB화하였다. 또한 새로이 제안하고 설계 개발된 탐사로봇은 소형, 경량이므로 운반과 동작이 매우 유리함을 확인할 수 있었다.

• International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems
• /
• 제4권1호
• /
• pp.87-95
• /
• 2006

The outlet feeder pipe thinning in a PHWR (Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor) is caused by a high pressure steam flow inside the pipe, which is a well known degradation mechanism called a FAC (Flow Assisted Corrosion). In order to monitor the degradation, the thickness of the outlet bends close to the exit of the pressure tube should be measured and analyzed at every official overhaul. This paper describes a mobile feeder pipe inspection robot that can minimize the irradiation dose to human workers by automating the measurement process. The robot can move by itself on the feeder pipe by using an inch worm mechanism, which is constructed by two gripper bodies that can fix the robot body on to the pipe, one extendable and contractible actuator, and a rotation actuator connected to the two gripper bodies to move forward and backward, and to rotate in a circumferential direction.

• 제어로봇시스템학회논문지
• /
• 제12권10호
• /
• pp.1029-1034
• /
• 2006

In this paper, the tracking control of an automatic pipe cutting robot, called APCROM, with a magnetic binder is studied. Using magnetic force APCROM, a wheeled robot, binds itself to the pipe and executes unmanned cutting process. The gravity effect on the movement of APCROM varies as it rotates around the pipe laid in the gravitational field. In addition to the varying gravity effect other types of nonlinear disturbances including backlash in the driving system and the slip between the wheels of APCROM and the pipe also cause degradation in the cutting process. To maintain a constant velocity and consistent cutting performance, the authors adopt a repetitive learning controller (MRLC), which learns the required effort to cancel the tracking errors. An angular-position estimation method based on the MEMS-type accelerometer is also used in conjunction with MRLC to compensate the tracking error caused by slip at the wheels. Experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제33권5호
• /
• pp.662-671
• /
• 2009

In this paper, a robot was developed for in-pipe cleaning and inspecting a large number of circular in-pipes of sea plants, ships, and buildings. A pressure generation mechanism was devised to inspect circular in-pipes with different diameters and to move up and down slant or perpendicular slopes in-pipes. For inspection of the dark inner side of the pipe, a light system using LED which dissipats small electricity was developed. Also, a design method was analyzed to decide the capacity of driving motor for the robot when the mass and maximum velocity of the robot are identified. The robot developed based on the design specification, was tested to verify the performance of the pressure generation mechanism. In addition, a control system was developed for the test.

• 한국기계가공학회지
• /
• 제20권2호
• /
• pp.58-65
• /
• 2021

Most pipe-inspection robots have fixed sizes and use a wired cable system. Pipelines are generally composed of various structures, including bent pipes, vertical pipes, branch pipes, and holes, and it is difficult to explore the insides of such modular piping structures. In an offshore plant pipeline, a robot that can pass through the pipe hole in the downward direction or avoid obstacles, such as a measuring instruments, has not been introduced yet. In this study, an inspection robot that can travel through most pipelines in offshore plants is proposed. This robot uses mecanum wheels; upward, downward, and rotary motion; and a novel rotatable mechanism. Moreover, the robot is designed to be compact and lightweight to include additional devices in the middle.