SEMINAR REPORT

On
Pipe Inspection Robots
By
N.P.LAKSHMINARAYANA
M.Tech. (Design), 1st Semester
(09310037)

UNDER GUIDANCE OF
Prof. C.AMARNATH

Department of Mechanical Engineering

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BOMBAY
November, 2009
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude, towards my

guide Prof.C.Amarnath for his invaluable guidance, motivation and constant
support given to me throughout this seminar work. I am also extremely thankful to
him for his invaluable suggestions that helped me complete this report successful.
Contents

Acknowledgement

Abstract

List of figures

Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Introduction 1

Chapter 2: Robot Mechanism

2.1. Mechanism Description 4
2.2. Design of the Mechanism 8
2.2.1. Force analysis in ascending a vertical pipe 8
2.2.2. Torque analysis of the adjusting motor 10
2.3. Design of rear arms 12
2.3.1. Passing through obstacles 12
2.3.2. Passing through elbow 13
Chapter 3: Robot Parts and Control
3.1. Robot Hardware 15
3.2. Control of the robot 16
3.2.1. Autonomous mode 17
Chapter 4: Prototype and Testing
4.1. Robot prototype 18
4.2. Active locomotion and autonomous adjusting 18

Chapter 5: Conclusions 20
REFERENCES 21
List of figures:
Figure.1.1.1 Different types of locomotion mechanisms 2

Figure.2.1.1.A 6-bar planar mechanism 4

Figure.2.1.2. Equivalent planner mechanism for robot 4
Figure.2.1.3. Improvement of the equivalent planner mechanism 5
Fig.2.1.4. Assembly of final mechanism 6
Fig.2.1.5. Mechanism device, assembled with one of the tracked units 6
Fig.2.1.6. Tracked unit and its part 8
Fig.2.2.1. A parallelogram tracked unit of pipe diameter adaptive mechanism 9
Fig.2.2.2. Forces in rear and front arms in climbing a vertical pipe with different diameters 10
Fig. 2.2.3.Trust force in adjusting screw forces in rear and front arms in climbing the vertical
pipe with different diameter. 11
Fig. 2.3.1.1.Mechanism flexibility concept 12
Fig. 2.3.1.2. Deflection of rear arm with respect to obstacle height in different pipe diameter 13
Fig. 2.3.2.1. Elbow passing concept 14
Fig.3.1.1. Hardware structure of the robot 15
Fig.4.1.1 Fabricated prototype (a) open chain, (b) closed chain) 18
Fig.4.1.2. Field experiment inside a curved pipe 18
Fig.4.2.1. Schematic of the test bed for autonomous adjusting algorithm 19
ABSTRACT:
Main requirement for pipelines is that inspection and repairing of the pipes interior. There are
many types of robots are used to inspect pipes interior. In this paper self-adjusting robot is
discussed to inspect pipes interior. The main mechanism consists of 3 independent rubber track
units which are spaced out 120 degrees apart symmetrically. This robot can adapt to a wide range
of diameters from 250mm to 350 mm. If we need we can increase the range by increasing
lengths of robot’s linkages. This apparatus has the capability of moving through vertical,
horizontal and curved pipes. It has also has the capability passing over small obstacles. A visual
system like camera is also mated on the robot. Design of mechanism for different situations is
discussed .Autonomous adjusting and non-autonomous adjusting modes are discussed.

Key Words: Robot arms design, force analysis, active pipe diameter adaptability, pipe
inspection, GUI.