Adapting Mechanisms for In-Pipe Inspection Robots: A Review

Abstract

In-pipe inspection robots have proven useful in examining the inside of pipes without affecting their structure, therefore, the interest in researching these robots has constantly increased over time. There are many different types of inspection robots, but the most commonly used are the wall pressed type. This paper proposes a review of the wall pressed type inspection robots in terms of adapting mechanisms. By adapting mechanism is meant a simple linkage or a combination of linkages, with an active or passive force generation system used to adapt the robot to variations in pipe diameter. The characteristics of the different adaptation mechanisms are compared and analyzed regarding the type of linkages used, how the pressure force on the pipe wall is obtained, and the possibility of ensuring the movement through inclined or vertical pipes with elbows and branches.