Stability study of underwater crawling robot on non-horizontal surface

This paper introduces a study of a concept of exible crawling mechanism todesign an industrial underwater cleaning robot, which is evaluated from theviewpoint of the capability to work underwater, scanning the desired surface,and bearing the reactions. This can be used as a robotic application in under-water surface cleaning and maintenance. In this study we focused on realizingthe adhesion on the surface in stationary and in motion, bearing reactions,enabling the needed locomotion types for scanning, and achieving the stabilityin dierent situations on the surface

Current Collector for Heavy Vehicles on Electrified Roads : Field Tests

We present the field tests and measurements performed on a novel current collector manipulator to be mounted beneath a heavy vehicle to collect electric power from road embedded power lines. We describe the concept of the Electric Road System (ERS) test track being used and give an overview of the test vehicle for testing the current collection. The emphasis is on the field tests and measurements to evaluate both the vertical accelerations that the manipulator’s end-effector is subject to during operation and the performance of the detection and tracking of the power line

Current Collector for Heavy Vehicles on Electrified Roads : Motion Control

We present the adopted motion control schemes of a novel current collector manipulator to be mounted beneath a heavy hybrid electric vehicle to collect electric power from road embedded power lines. We describe our approach of power line detection and tracking based on an array of inductive proximity sensors. The emphasis is on the adopted motion control logic for sequential and closed loop motions to detect and track the power line respectively. We implement the sliding mode control approach for the closed loop control scheme as straightforward solution given the binary nature of the inductive proximity sensors being used. The overall architecture of the entire motion control system is presented. Finally, the implementation of the entire control logic in a form of a state machine is discussed

Modeling and simulation of a silo cleaning robot

A suspended robot for surface cleaning in silos is presented in this paper. Thesuggested concept is a reasonable compromise between the basic contradictingfactors in the design: small entrance and large surface of the confined space,suspension and stabilization of the robot. A dynamic study for the suspendedrobot is presented in this paper. A dynamic simulation in MSC ADAMS iscarried out to confirm the results from the theoretic study

SIRO : the silos surface cleaning robot concept

A concept of a suspended robot for surface cleaning in silos is presented in this paper. The main requirements and limitations resulting from the specific operational conditions are discussed. Due to the large dimension of the silo as a confined space, specific kinematics of the robot manipulator is proposed. The major problems in its design are highlighted and an approach to resolve them is proposed. The suggested concept is a reasonable compromise between the basic contradicting factors in the design: small entrance and large surface of the confined space, suspension and stabilization of the robo

New concept of in-water surface cleaning robot

This paper introduces a new concept of flexible crawling mechanism to design an industrial underwater cleaning robot, which is evaluated from the viewpoint of the capability to work underwater, scanning the desired surface, and bearing the reactions. This can be used as a robotic application in underwater surface cleaning and maintenance. We designed a robot that realizes the motion by contraction and extraction using DC-motors and vacuum technology. In this study we first focused on realizing the adhesion, bearing reactions, and achieving a stable locomotion on the surface

Motion Control of Siro : The Silo Cleaning Robot

Both the principle of operation and the motion-control system of a suspended robot for surface cleaning in silos are presented in this paper. The mechanical design is a reasonable compromise between basically contradictory factors in the design: the small entrance and the large surface of the confined space, and the suspension and the stabilization of the robot. The design consists of three main parts: a support unit, the cleaning robot and a cleaning mechanism. The latter two parts enter the silo in a folded form and, thereafter, the robot’s arms are spread in order to achieve stability during the cleaning process. The vertical movement of the robot is achieved via sequential crawling motions. The control system is divided into two separate subsystems, the robot’s control subsystem and a support-unit control subsystem, in order to facilitate different operational modes. The robot has three principle motion-control tasks: positioning the robot inside the silo, holding a vertical position during the cleaning process and a crawling movement. A scaled prototype of the robot has been implemented and tested to prove the concept, in order to make certain that the mechanical design suits the main functions of the robotic system, to realize the robot’s design in an industrial version and to test it in a realistic environment

Confined Spaces : Cleaning Techniques and Robot-based Surface Cleaning

The requirements of the working and safety norms demonstrate significant need of increased efficiency and improved working conditions in cleaning confined spaces. This paper presents an overview of the existing technologies and solutions for cleaning large confined spaces. A special attention is directed for cleaning interior surface of confined spaces used mainly for storing bulk materials or liquids, such as silos. The cleaning technologies for confined space depend on several aspects as the build-up material, the surface material, the ambient conditions. Four cleaning techniques are presented in this paper. The mechanisms and robots related to the studied problem are surveyed and evaluated from the viewpoint of their capability to clean interior surfaces. The dominating majority of the existing cleaning equipment is constructed to serve cleaning the entire volume of the respective confined space (silo), but not for cleaning the interior surface