LED

SPRING

WHEELS PIPE

LINKS

CIRCUIT BOX

SHAFT

BUSH
NUT BOLT
 Abstract

A engineer is always focused towards challenges of bringing ideas and concepts to life. Therefore,
sophisticated machines and modern techniques have to be constantly developed and implemented for
economical manufacturing of products. At the same time, we should take care that there has been no
compromise made with quality and accuracy.

In the age of automation machine become an integral part of human being. By the use of automation
machine prove it self that it gives high production rate than manual production rate. In competition
market every one wants to increase their production & make there machine multipurpose.
The engineer is constantly conformed with the challenges of bringing ideas and design into reality. New
machines and techniques are being developed continuously to manufacture various products at cheaper
rates and high qualityAn in-pipe robot with active pipe-diameter adaptability and automatic
tractive force adjusting is developed for long-distance inspection of main gas pipelines with
different diameter series. Its physical design employs the scheme that three sets of parallelogram
wheeled leg mechanism are circumferentially spaced out 120° apart symmetrically. This
structural design makes it possible to realize the adaptation to pipe diameter and tractive force
adjusting together. On the basis of analyzing the mechanical actions of the adaptation to pipe
diameter and tractive force adjusting, the related mechanical models are established, and their
control system structure and control strategy are discussed. To verify the pipe-diameter
adaptability and tractive force adjusting of the robot, related field experiments are implemented
in actual underground gas pipeline. The experimental results show that the theoretical analysis in
this paper is valid and the prototype of this robot can work well in actual underground gas
pipelines. Compared with other similar robots, this robot, which employs active mode for its
adaptability to pipe diameter, can be adaptable to the wide range of gas pipeline diameters from
∅400 mm to ∅650 mm and automatically provide a stable and reliable tractive force with strong
capacity of tractive force adjusting. As a mobile carrier for visual inspection and nondestructive
testing to monitor block, corrosion, crack, defect, and wall thickness of main gas pipelines, its
inspection range of one-time job in pipelines is extended beyond 1000 m.

Keywords: In pipe robot, Active pipe diameter adaptability; Tractive force adjusting; Gas
pipelines inspection
.

Chapter 1

Introduction

There are a wide variety of pipelines such as urban gas, sewage, chemical plant, nuclear power
plant etc., which are indispensable in our life. Also, p ipelines are the major tools for
transportation of oils and gases and a number of countries employ pipelines as the main facilities

for transportation. In our country, the urban gas pipelines currently go up to 13,000 Km long but

sin ce most of them have been constructed in 1980's, there happen a lot of troubles f:aused by
aging, corrosion, cracks, and mechanical damages from third parties. Continuous activities for
inspection, maintenance and repair should be p erfo rme d from now on. However, those
activities need enormous budgets t hat may not be e asily handled by g as companies as they are
mostly small and medium in size. Efficient equipments for inspection and in tegr ated
maintenance program are required in gas industries An in-pipe inspection robot for the
inspection of pipe with pipe diameter adaptability is introduced here. There were various models
developed for the pipe inspection; however this robot excludes various dis-advantages associated
with them.

1.1 Aim of Project

In-pipe inspection robot with automatic adaptability to various pipe diameters and to monitor the
defect, cracks, corrosion, block etc.

Why this topic is chosen?

Often, robots are used to do jobs that could be done by humans. However, there are many
reasons why robots may be better than humans in performing certain tasks.

1. Speed
Robots may be used because they are FASTER than people at carrying out tasks. This is because
a robot is really a mechanism which is controlled by a computer - and we know that computers
can do calculations and process data very quickly. Some robots actually MOVE more quickly
than we can, so they can carry out a task, such as picking up and inserting items, more quickly
than a human can.

2. Accuracy

Accuracy is all about carrying out tasks very precisely. In a factory manufacturing items, each
item has to be made identically. When items are being assembled, a robot can position parts
within fractions of a millimeter.

3. Hazardous (dangerous) Environments

Robots may be used because they can work in places where a human would be in danger. For
example, robots can be designed to withstand greater amounts of

Heat, Radiation, Chemical fumes than humans could.

4. Repetitive Tasks

Sometimes robots are not really much faster than humans, but they are good at simply doing the
same job over and over again. This is easy for a robot, because once the robot has been
programmed to do a job once; the same program can be run many times to carry out the job
many times. And the robot will not get bored as a human would.

5. Efficiency

Efficiency is all about carrying out tasks without waste. This could mean not wasting time not
wasting materials

1.2 Organization of Report

In chapter 2 we discuss the literature that was surveyed for making understanding the
feasibility and previous developments of pipe inspection robots. In chapter 3 we discuss the
 concepts involved in design of pipe inspection robot. and finally we summarize the synopsis
in the concluding chapter 4.

1.2.1 Problem Definition.

The inspection of pipes may be relevant for improving security and efficiency in industrial
plants. These specific operations as inspection, maintenance, cleaning etc. are expensive, thus the
application of the robots appears to be one of the most attractive solutions. The pipelines are the
major tools for the transportation of drinkable water, effluent water, fuel oils and gas. A lot of
troubles caused by piping networks aging, corrosion, cracks, and mechanical damages are
possible. So, continuous activities for inspection, maintenance and repair are strongly
demanded .The robots with a flexible (adaptable) structure may boast adaptability to the
environment, especially to the pipe diameter, with enhanced dexterity, maneuverability,
capability to operate under hostile conditions.

Pipe inspection robots have been studied for a long time, and many original locomotion concepts
have been proposed to solve the numerous technical difficulties associated with the
change in pipe diameter, curves and energy supply. Although an exhaustive review of the
literature is impossible due to the limited space available, a few broad categories can be
identified:

(i) For small size, many projects follow the earthworm principle consisting of a central part
moving axially while the two end parts are provided with blocking devices connected
temporarily to the pipe. Pneumatic versions of this concept have been proposed but they require
an umbilical for power. For smaller diameter (10 mm or less), a piezoelectric actuation has
been considered, according to the inchworm principle, or according to an inertial
locomotion driven by a saw-tooth wave voltage , or using vibrating fins with differential
friction coefficients .

(ii)For medium size piping, classical electromechanical systems have been proposed with various
architectures involving wheels and tracks, with more or less complicated kinematical
structures, depending on the diameter adaptability and turning capability

(iii)For large pipes, walking tube crawlers have also been proposed.
1.2.2 Scope of the project.
The main scope of our FINAL YEAR MECHANICAL project is to locate defects due to
corrosion and obstacle at the inner side of the pipe line. Nevertheless, damage still occurs, which
reduces the strength of the pipe. If it goes undetected and becomes severe, the pipe can leak and,
in rare cases, fail catastrophically. So, extensive efforts are made to mitigate defects. So we
proposed a new design in inspecting pipelines.

4.1 Project progress

The project team having completed the project synopsis and detailing the structure of the robot
has begun preparing the central frame required for the robot. Collection of various materials
required for making the central frame. Also we are going to begin with testing of motor for better
understanding of grip, load bearing and other capacities.

4.2 Future scope of project

The inspection robot here includes a web camera for visual inspection of pipe. Now further
advances can be made so that the robot may be able not only to detect but also repair various
issues with pipe maintenance. These include crack detection, underwater welding, and gas
detection etc. Depending mostly upon the change in conditions from a previous inspection
various improvements may be made to the pipe. It may be cleaned with a rotating root cutting
blade on the end of a segmented rotating chain, or chemical foam may be applied to discourage
root growth. If damage is found limited to only a few locations these may be excavated and
repaired. Extensive moderate defects may be repaired by lining with a fabric liner that is pulled
through the pipe, inflated, and then made rigid through chemical means. Severe damage may
require excavation and replacement of the pipe with more modern materials.

Pipe geometry detection may also be one of the applications of this robot with appropriate
sensors for the same
 Chapter 2

Literature Survey

2.1 Basics of its concept and origin

1. Robotic system with active steering capability for internal inspection of urban gas
pipelines Mechatronics, Volume 12, Issue 5, June 2002, Pages 713-736 H.R. Choi, S.M.
Ryew.

Mechanism of active adaptation to pipe diameter:

The pipe diameter adaptive mechanism is the actuator of active adaptation to pipe diameter and
adjustment of tractive force. It is composed of three sets of parallelogram wheeled legs
circumferentially spaced out 120° apart symmetrically. Each parallelogram wheeled leg has a
front driving wheel and a rear driving wheel. Illustrates the one of three sets. The operation of
the pipe diameter adaptive mechanism is driven by a step motor with convenience to be
controlled. This motor is called the adjusting motor. Under the control of motor driver, the
adjusting motor drives rotation of the ball screw pair which can push three sets of parallelogram
wheeled legs to make driving wheels contact to inner wall of pipe, or adjust the pressure between
driving wheels and pipe wall. This structural design makes it possible to realize the adaptability
to pipe diameter and tractive force adjusting together, and the pipe diameter adaptive mechanism
with this structure can realize adjustment in a wide range. The nut of ball screw, pressure sensor
and axial sliding bush are connected together by screw bolts. The pressure sensor, which may
test the sum of pressures between all the driving wheels and pipe wall indirectly, is useful for the
control of pressing the driving wheels against the pipe wall with a stable pressure to obtain
sufficient and stable tractive force, and on the other hand, can provide overload protection to
prevent the mechanism overloading.

Mechanism of tractive force adjusting:

A pipeline inspection robot must obtain sufficient tractive force to pull its tether cable and other
equipments while traveling inside a gas pipeline to complete inspection, maintenance, and repair
tasks. When the motion motor of a wheeled robot can produce an enough driving force, its
tractive force is determined by the adhesion force which depends on the normal pressure and
adhesion coefficient between driving wheels and pipe wall. Thus, a wheeled robot with the pipe
diameter adaptive mechanism, which can produce an additional normal pressure to change the
adhesion force between driving wheels and pipe wall, is capable of adjusting its tractive force in
a certain range.

Along with the increase of inspection distance in pipeline, more tractive force of the robot is
demanded to overcome increasing friction resistance of the tether cable, or an additional kinetic
resistance caused by pipe slope. However, when the motion motor of the robot produces more
driving force, the adhesion force only contributed by robot weight may be insufficient, and its
driving wheels may slip on the surface of pipe wall. Therefore, an additional pressure enhancing
adhesion force should be produced by the pipe diameter adaptive mechanism to improve the
tractive capacity of the robot. This is realized as the way that the action of the adjusting motor
drives rotation of the ball screw pair with the output torque T and produces the thrust force F
which drives parallel linkage ABCD to press the driving wheels against inner wall of the pipe
with an additional pressure.

2. A small mobile robot for security and inspection operations Original Research Article
Control Engineering Practice, Volume 10, Issue 11, November 2002, Pages 1265-1270
Nicholas S Flann, Kevin L Moore, Lili Ma

Description of the inspection robot system

Inspection

In consideration of safety, concrete structures are inspected for cracks, leakage, spall and other
attributes; however, cracks are of particular concern, for they most significantly affect the state
of the concrete. Cracks in concrete structures arise from poor repair, contractions due to rapid
temperature decreases, fluctuations between contractions and expansions from temperature
changes, and extra loads from partial ground expansion. Cracks can be classified as vertical,
horizontal, shearing or complex. About 40% of cracks are vertical, 11% are horizontal and 30%
are shearing, see fig.

. About 40% of cracks are vertical, 11% are horizontal and 30% are shearing, see fig.

Fig 2.1 Proportions of cracks.

System configuration

The mobile robot system consisted of optical, mechanical, and data storage devices. These
devices stored images of the surface of the concrete structure, maximized the contrast
distribution of crack and non-crack areas, and minimized the noise while the system
automatically moves parallel to the structure.

The crack detecting system was software that extracts and computes the numerical crack
information from the image data. The software extracted the length, width and orientation of
cracks. The crack detecting system provided information that helps determine if additional
precision inspection of a structure is needed.

The mobile robot system consisted of a CCD line camera, frame grabber, controlling apparatus
for an auto-focus device, vibration-reducing device, illuminator and encoders to measure the
velocity and position of the unit; this is shown in Fig. 3. To compute the distance of the robot
from the structure, velocity and position were used, this allowed the camera to be focused and
controlled without an inspector.
2.2 The developed in-pipe minirobots
The first prototype - In Fig, it is given the first constructive variant of an in-pipe inspection
minirobot, which was designed, modeled and developed. The minirobot contains three linkages
mechanisms, symmetrically disposed along the longitudinal axis of the robot.

Fig 2.2.1 Pipe Crawler Fig 2.2.2 Robot for 1 inch pipes

Fig 2.2.3 Mogler

Fig 2.2.4 Heli Fig 2.2.5 Pipe Schemes of tried wheels robot

2.3 TECHNIQUES AND RECENT ADVANCES IN PIPE INSPECTION

CHIME- A New Ultrasonic Method for Rapid Screening of Pipe, Plate and Inaccessible
Geometries I

Fig 2.3.1 Chime Probe arrangement

Fig 2.3.2 A scan of a CHIME signal typical in clean plate

Conventional ultrasonic methods for the inspection of large areas, such as vessels or long
pipelines, are generally time intensive and costly. Grid thickness readings or point by point
inspection is carried out to form a C-scan image of the inspected region. In addition, inaccessible
regions such as pipes on pipe supports or under clamps generally cannot be inspected by these
conventional methods without significant effort and cost. For these applications long range
global screening techniques have significant advantages over conventional techniques especially
if rapid scanning of large areas and into inaccessible regions is possible in a single measurement.
Guided wave systems using, for example Lamb waves, are being developed for long range
inspection. The most useful modes for inspection have wavelengths of the size of the plate
thickness. These relatively low frequencies give rise to long inspection ranges but inevitably
couple with low resolution to defects. At high frequencies many harmonics are produced and the
sound is dispersive making interpretation of defect signals complicated. A new ultrasonic
inspection technique is described that has been developed within the Harwell Offshore
Inspection R&D Service (HOIS) . The technique utilizes the properties creeping (or Lateral
waves) and Head waves in parallel or near-parallel walled metal. This patented technique has
been named CHIME (Creeping/Head wave Inspection Method). Creeping waves are
alternatively known as Lateral or, more precisely, surface skimming compression waves. As the
surface compression wave generated by a probe at the critical angle is generally referred to as the
Creeping wave, the authors will use this name.

LASER PROFILING
Fig 2.3.3 Laser Profiling Fig 2.3.4 Determining surface profile by laser profiling

Laser profiling is an advanced technique for determining the accurate surface profile of a pipe or
other structure. The method projects a laser generated source onto the interior of a pipe or
structure wall to determine accurate measurement of the structure.
Laser profiling uses include:

 Determination of the structural shape, cross sectional area and defects, Estimation of debris
quantity, Calculation of pipe capacity before and/or after cleaning, Rehabilitation / Replacement
design information to improve selection of method, Post rehabilitation verification of lining and
subsequent capacity.

GUIDED ULTRASONIC WAVES PIPE INSPECTION

Pipe inspection in the industry can prove difficult, expensive, time consuming and with limited
results using common NDT techniques, such as UT Thickness. Other inspection techniques such
as PIG may be impossible to apply for practical reasons, such as geometry. Guided Ultrasonic
waves provide a new solution for pipe inspection. The inspection is a very fast pipe screening
technique which provides information about cross section area change in the pipe together with
precise information a to where along the pipe this change occurs.

Fig 2.3.5 Difference in concept between conventional UT and guided wave testing (GWT) 

SMART UTILITY PIGGING

 Fig 2.3.6 Smart utility pigging

A Smart Utility Pig offers a fundamentally different approach to internal pipeline inspection. In
essence a Smart Utility Pig is nothing more than a standard cleaning or gauging pig with on-
board intelligence added in the form of a SAAM unit. Rather than deploying an instrument to
directly measure a feature within a pipeline, the SAAM unit monitors the behavior of the Utility
Pig as it travels through the pipeline. From changes in this behavior it is possible to identify
features that have caused it to change. In effect ‘a Utility Pig’s dynamic behavior is directly
related to the internal condition of the pipeline it transits’.

In this project, a new style of in-pipe inspection robot with active pipe-diameter adaptability and
automatic tractive force adjusting is developed for long-distance inspection in main pipelines
with different diameter series. This robot can change its radial size actively in a wide range to
move inside pipelines with various diameters and automatically provide stable and sufficient
tractive force according to actual requirement during inspection. As a mobile carrier for visual
inspection and nondestructive testing to monitor block, corrosion, crack, defect, and wall
thickness of main pipelines. Its inspection range of one-time job in pipelines is extended beyond
100 m.
 Chapter 3

Design of “PIPE INSPECTION ROBOT”

3.1 Central frame

Central frames are recognizable by their central frame bar that carries fixations of all
major elements, be it the front end links, rear end links or the translational element. It is central
stem for the entire robot body, main supporting stem for the inspection robot. The frame is
manufactured from aluminum and then buffing is performed as a finishing operation. The
construction is shown in the fig.
 Fig 3.1 central frame

3.2. Translation element

Translational elements are widely used in automobiles. The most commonly used
translational element is a sleeve. It finds application in governor mechanism wherein it translates
on the stem depending upon the speed variation and thereby controls the flow rate of the fuel.
The most important component for one of the most important element of an automobile i.e.
governor is the sleeve. The simple construction and flexibility are the reasons we are using this
sleeve in the pipe inspection robot. The sleeve here is used for a completely
 different purpose it is not required to take care of the flow rate but to adjust the length of
the linkages according to the pipe diameter. The sleeve is hold in place using a compression
spring and is placed in between the spring and the central part of the frame. When the robot
enters the pipe of smaller diameter the sleeve moves up on the stem and compresses the spring
and vice versa. The construction of the sleeve used in the project is shown in the fig .

Fig: 3.2 Sleeve

3.3 Helical spring

To control the motion of the sleeve moving on the central frame and thereby enabling proper
traction and grip for the tyres while moving against the pipe wall some element has to be used
that provides efficient operation for that reason we will be using a spring.

Theoretically, any material can be used to construct a spring, so long as the material has the
required combination of rigidity and elasticity: technically, a wooden bow is a form of spring.
Springs are usually made out of spring steel. Small springs can be wound from pre-hardened
stock, while larger ones are made from annealed steel and hardened after fabrication.

Fig 3.3 Helical springs designed for compression

Depending on the design, installation and operating environmental conditions such as corrosive
surroundings, temperature variations, shock loading, fatigue life desired, and a number of other
conditions, it is necessary to use different types of spring materials.[5] These materials can be
placed into groups such as high-carbon steels, alloy steels, stainless steels, copper-base alloys,
nickel-base alloys, and several other groups having special qualities. Some non-ferrous metals
are also used including phosphor bronze and titanium for parts requiring corrosion resistance and
beryllium copper for springs carrying electrical current (because of its low electrical resistance)

Table 3.3.1 Common Spring Materials and Properties

Tensile Modulus in Max. Design

Modulus of Elasticity
Material Strength min. Torsion Temp
(psi x 106)
(psi x 103)  (psi x 106) (deg F)

Music Wire 229 - 300 30 11.5 250

Chrome Vanadium 190 - 300 30 11.5 425

Stainless Steel 302 125 - 320 28 10 550

Stainless Steel 17-7

235 - 335 29.5 11 600
(313)

3.4 Linkages

A mechanical linkage is an assembly of bodies connected together to manage forces and

movement. The movement of a body, or link, is studied using geometry so the link is considered
to be rigid. The connections between links are modeled as providing ideal movement, pure
rotation or sliding for example, and are called joints. A linkage modeled as a network of rigid
links and ideal joints is called a kinematic chain.
 Fig 3.4 Linkages of pipe inspection robot

Linkages may be constructed from open chains, closed chains, or a combination of open and
closed chains. Each link in a chain is connected by a joint to one or more other links. Thus, a
kinematic chain can be modeled as a graph in which the links are vertices and the joints are
paths, which is called a linkage graph.

The deployable mirror linkage is constructed from a series of rhombus or scissor linkages. The
movement of an ideal joint is generally associated with a subgroup of the group of Euclidean
displacements. The number of parameters in the subgroup is called the degrees of freedom
(DOF) of the joint.

Mechanical linkages are usually designed to transform a given input force and movement into a
desired output force and movement. The ratio of the output force to the input force is known as
the mechanical advantage of the linkage, while the ratio of the input speed to the output speed is
known as the speed ratio. The speed ratio and mechanical advantage are defined so they yield the
same number in an ideal linkage.
3.5 Mobility

The configuration of a system of rigid links connected by ideal joints is defined by a set of
configuration parameters, such as the angles around a revolute joint and the slides along
prismatic joints measured between adjacent links. The geometric constraints of the linkage allow
calculation of all of the configuration parameters in terms of a minimum set, which are the input
parameters. The number of input parameters is called the mobility, or degree of freedom, of the
linkage system.

A system of n rigid bodies moving in space has 6n degrees of freedom measured relative to a
fixed frame. Include this frame in the count of bodies, so that mobility is independent of the
choice of the fixed frame, then we have M=6(N-1), where N=n+1 is the number of moving
bodies plus the fixed body.

Joints that connect bodies in this system remove degrees of freedom and reduce mobility.
Specifically, hinges and sliders each impose five constraints and therefore remove five degrees
of freedom. It is convenient to define the number of constraints c that a joint imposes in terms of
the joint's freedom f, where c=6-f. In the case of a hinge or slider, which are one degree of
freedom joints, we have f=1 and therefore c=6-1=5.

Thus, the mobility of a linkage system formed from n moving links and j joints each with fi, I=1,
j, degrees of freedom can be computed as,

M = 6n - \sum_{i=1}^j (6 - f_i) = 6(N-1 - j) + \sum_{i=1}^j\ f_i,

Where N includes the fixed link. This is known as Kutzbach-Gruebler's equation

There are two important special cases: (i) a simple open chain, and (ii) a simple closed chain. A
single open chain consists of n moving links connected end to end by j joints, with one end
connected to a ground link. Thus, in this case N=j+1 and the mobility of the chain is

M = \sum_{i=1}^j\ f_i.
For a simple closed chain, n moving links are connected end-to end by n+1 joints such that the
two ends are connected to the ground link forming a loop. In this case, we have N=j and the
mobility of the chain is

M = \sum_{i=1}^j\ f_i - 6.

An example of a simple open chain is a serial robot manipulator. These robotic systems are
constructed from a series of links connected by six one degree-of-freedom revolute or prismatic
joints, so the system has six degrees of freedom.

An example of a simple closed chain is the RSSR spatial four-bar linkage. The sum of the
freedom of these joints is eight, so the mobility of the linkage is two, where one of the degrees of
freedom is the rotation of the coupler around the line joining the two S joints.

3.7 Motor

Fig 3.7 DC gear motors

All of the robot actuators are dc gear motors. These actuators are simple to drive and produce dc
voltage. By attention to this that power supply in practical sites of robot application is prepared
by batteries, these actuators become more efficient. Selection of these motors will be done by
estimation of maximum load which a motor should handle and also by considering a safety ratio
for mechanical inefficiency and inefficient load distribution on actuators.

AUXILLARY ELEMENTS:

Various auxillary elements such as pins,nuts and bolts will also be used for the in-pipe inspection
robot.
RAW MATERIAL & STANDARD MATERIAL

SR NO PART NAME MAT QTY

1 PIPE MS 8 kg

2 ROBO FRAME MS 9 kg
3 SHAFT DIA 10 MM MS 1nos
10 WATT DC GEAR
4 STD 3 nos
MOTOR 3.5 RPM
RUBBE
5 WHEEL 6 nos
R
6 SPRING SS 2nos
7 BATTERY RU 1 nos
8 REMOT STD 1 nos
9 LED LIGHT STD 1 nos
NUT BOLT WASHER m
10 MS 8 nos
10
11 WELDING ROD - 1 50 nos
12 COLOUR - 2 lit