Developing an adaptable pipe inspection robot using shape memory alloy actuators

To detect and repair the faults existing in pipes and narrow ducts in the industry, access to the inside of these pipes is often required. In this article, the conceptual design for a miniature robot for inspecting the inner walls of pipes is presented, such that the proposed robot can operate adapt...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of intelligent material systems and structures 2020-03, Vol.31 (4), p.632-647
Main Authors: Hadi, Alireza, Hassani, Azadeh, Alipour, Khalil, Askari Moghadam, Reza, Pourakbarian Niaz, Pouya
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:To detect and repair the faults existing in pipes and narrow ducts in the industry, access to the inside of these pipes is often required. In this article, the conceptual design for a miniature robot for inspecting the inner walls of pipes is presented, such that the proposed robot can operate adaptably and freely in vertical, inclined, and bent paths. The robot utilizes a simple mechanism based on shape memory alloy actuators for adjusting the contact force between the robot and the inner wall of the pipe. Use of shape memory alloys as actuators for the adaptive part will result in a smaller and lighter robot, further increasing its mobility in narrower ducts. Modeling, simulation, and control of the proposed system is conducted and simulation results are validated by performing practical laboratory experiments on a built prototype.
ISSN:1045-389X
1530-8138
DOI:10.1177/1045389X19898255