Development of Outer Circumferential Hugging Type Pipe Inspection Robot Using Extension type Flexible Pneumatic Actuators

Akito YOSHIDA, Tetsuya AKAGI, Takashi SHINOHARA, Shujiro DOHTA, Masashi YOKOTA, Feifei CHO

The 12th JFPS International Symposium on Fluid Power HIROSHIMA 2024

Japan Fluid Power System Society

HIROSHIMA

As an outer pipe inspection robot without giving damage for insulation materials, an outer circumferential hugging type pipe inspection robot using Extension type Flexible Pneumatic Actuators (EFPAs) was proposed and tested in this study. A Pipe Hugging type Soft Actuator (PHSA) using a parallel arranged two EFPAs is also developed. As a result of pipe holding test using PHSA, it can be confirmed that the holding force of the PHSA is suitable to keep the pipe without damage. The driving test using the proposed robot was also carried out. As a result, it can be confirmed that the tested robot can climb up and down along the vertical pipe with smooth surface and diameter of 150 mm by repeating extension and holding the pipe with the stroke of 130 mm.