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Development of modularized in-pipe inspection robotic system: MRINSPECT VII+

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 September 2021

Heesik Jang ,
Ho Moon Kim ,
Min Sub Lee ,
Yong Heon Song ,
Yoongeon Lee ,
Whee Ryeong Ryew  and
Hyouk Ryeol Choi Open the ORCID record for Hyouk Ryeol Choi [Opens in a new window]
Heesik Jang
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, 300, ChunchunDong, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Kyougki-do 440-746, Republic of Korea
Ho Moon Kim
Affiliation:
H. Robotics, 129 Gaetbeol-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Republic of Korea
Min Sub Lee
Affiliation:
LG Electronics, 10, MagokJungang 10-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Yong Heon Song
Affiliation:
LG Electronics, 10, MagokJungang 10-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Yoongeon Lee
Affiliation:
KEPCO Research Institute, Korea Electric Power Corporation, 105, Munji-ro, Yooseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Whee Ryeong Ryew
Affiliation:
Technology Support Center, KOGAS Research Institute, 376 Songdo-Dong, Yeonsu-Gu, Incheon, Republic of Korea
Hyouk Ryeol Choi*
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, 300, ChunchunDong, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Kyougki-do 440-746, Republic of Korea
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: choihyoukryeol@gmail.com
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Abstract

This paper presents a modularized autonomous pipeline inspection robot called MRINSPECT VII+, which we recently developed. MRINSPECT VII+ is aimed at inspect in-service urban gas pipelines with a diameter of 200 mm. The robot consists of five basic modules: driving, sensing, joint, and battery modules. For nondestructive testing (NDT), an NDT module can be added to the system. The driving module uses a multiaxial differential gear mechanism to provide traction forces to the robot. The sensor module recognizes the pipeline element using position-sensitive detector (PSD) sensors and a CCD camera. The control module contains a computing unit and manages the robot’s autonomous navigation. The battery module supplies power to the system. Each module is connected via backdrivable active joint modules, which provide flexibility while moving inside narrow pipelines. Additionally, the wireless communication module helps the system communicate with the ground station. We tested MRINSPECT VII+ in real pipeline environments and validated its feasibility successfully.

Keywords

In-pipe robotindustrial robotrobot mechanismmobile robotcontrol algorithm
Type
Research Article
Information
Robotica , Volume 40 , Issue 5 , May 2022 , pp. 1361 - 1384
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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