{"title":"Pneumatic impact-drive and tube crawler device for non-destructive inspections","authors":"A. Peralta","doi":"10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624477","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624477","url":null,"abstract":"An impact-drive concept is presented for small tube inspection applications. It uses energy transmitted through impacts, in order to move a small device inside pipes of 1\" diameter. This device can be connected to an inspection module (camera or ultrasound sensor, for example) and is able to crawl through bends and along many meters with an acceptable speed (minimum 10 mm/s). The impact-drive concept is not new. Some solutions were explored with piezoelectric and electromagnetic actuators. For this prototype, compressed air is used, with a rotating valve controlled with an electrical motor.","PeriodicalId":374619,"journal":{"name":"2010 1st International Conference on Applied Robotics for the Power Industry","volume":"26 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126796458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Power line inspection with a flying robot","authors":"Binhai Wang, Xiguang Chen, Qian Wang, Liang Liu, Hailong Zhang, Bingqiang Li","doi":"10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624430","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624430","url":null,"abstract":"Power line inspection is an essential job for the maintenance of electric grids. However, the job is not easy due to wide range of grid distribution. Besides manually inspecting power lines, which is still the main method, helicopters are also used for the inspection from the sky. In the recent years, unmanned flying systems were used for power line inspection in order to reduce the risk. In recent years, some researchers have started to use unmanned helicopters to inspect power lines. Following their research, we present an applied inspection robot called SmartCopter based on an Unmanned Autonomous Helicopter (UAH) for the inspection of transmission lines. Our interest is on the combination of a UAH and an inspection system for the practical application in the field. This paper describes the design of the flying robot and presents the experimental results.","PeriodicalId":374619,"journal":{"name":"2010 1st International Conference on Applied Robotics for the Power Industry","volume":"34 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131456441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Emanuel Estrada, L. Silveira, Eder Gonccalves, N. L. Filho, V. D. de Oliveira, S. Botelho
{"title":"Autonomous navigation for underground energy line inspection robot","authors":"Emanuel Estrada, L. Silveira, Eder Gonccalves, N. L. Filho, V. D. de Oliveira, S. Botelho","doi":"10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624410","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624410","url":null,"abstract":"This work proposes architecture of an inspection robot's navigation system, aiming at monitoring underground energy lines. This architecture is composed of two modules: i. feature extraction from environment; ii navigation approach. The feature extraction module is based on the use of the edge detector by Canny algorithm and Hough transform for identification of lines from images of environment to monitoring. The lines identified correspond to cable conformation inside the duct. This information will serve to help the navigation system. For the implementation of the navigation system two approaches were proposed: navigation based on artificial neural network and navigation based on PID control. The navigation architecture can be used in real or simulated scenarios, and it was tested in a simulated environment.","PeriodicalId":374619,"journal":{"name":"2010 1st International Conference on Applied Robotics for the Power Industry","volume":"10 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126423646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dexterous manipulators for nuclear inspection and maintenance — Case study","authors":"R. Buckingham, A. Graham","doi":"10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624476","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624476","url":null,"abstract":"Life extension and plant management of nuclear assets is a critical issue for nuclear operators. This paper considers the growing requirement to ascertain the state of the nuclear systems by means of direct plant measurement, with the consequential requirement to conduct in-situ repairs. These requirements have driven the development of new remote handling techniques. The paper considers the application of a new design of remote handling systems to two different tasks within different reactor types. The first task involved removal and replacement of a section of SCRAM pipe within a BWR. The second task involves the first deployment of a new inspection tool to access primary circuit feeder pipes within the Upper Feeder Cabinets of CANDU reactors. Both tasks have confined space, limited access requirements, in addition to nuclear radiation hazards and required deployment of nose-following multi-degree of freedom snake-arm robot systems.","PeriodicalId":374619,"journal":{"name":"2010 1st International Conference on Applied Robotics for the Power Industry","volume":"20 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127870365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"AARM: A robot arm for internal operations in nuclear reactors","authors":"A. Goldenberg, Matt Gryniewski, Todd Campbell","doi":"10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624415","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624415","url":null,"abstract":"The AARM is a robot tool for remote controlled visual inspection and some operations inside a nuclear reactor. The user takes full advantage of the opportunity created during nuclear reactions retrofit operations. It allows inspection of components that have not been visible since the reactor was initially commissioned, usually several decades earlier. Specifically, during retrofit of a reactor this tool can be inserted through a lattice sleeve tube in the shielding wall of the reactor after the fueling and pressure tubes were removed, in order to perform inspection and some cleaning operations.","PeriodicalId":374619,"journal":{"name":"2010 1st International Conference on Applied Robotics for the Power Industry","volume":"24 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114169729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Z. Kovačić, Boris Balać, Stjepan Flegarić, Kristijan Brkic, M. Orsag
{"title":"Light-weight mobile robot for hydrodynamic treatment of concrete and metal surfaces","authors":"Z. Kovačić, Boris Balać, Stjepan Flegarić, Kristijan Brkic, M. Orsag","doi":"10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624424","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624424","url":null,"abstract":"The paper presents a modular design of a lightweight mobile robot for hydrodynamic treatment of concrete and metal surfaces. The robot is composed of three fully separable modules: an under-carriage with two tracks, an electric cabinet containing power electronics, communication and control, and a robot arm with various water jet tools. Modularity and smaller robot weight allows easy transportation, operation in ordinary construction conditions and maneuvering in very confined spaces. The on-board PLC controls the following robot axes: two robot tracks, a beam, a rotor tool, lance swing and pitch angles, and tool-to-surface distance deviation. Ultrasound sensors mounted on the robot allow automatic adjustment of a tool towards a treated surface. Experimental results obtained in real exploitation conditions (during a bridge repair) have confirmed all advantages of the described robot design.","PeriodicalId":374619,"journal":{"name":"2010 1st International Conference on Applied Robotics for the Power Industry","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123722138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Gagne, L. Bedard-T, L. Lavoie, B. Hazel, J. Côté, Y. Laroche, P. Mongenot
{"title":"Robotic refurbishment of gate wheel tracks","authors":"J. Gagne, L. Bedard-T, L. Lavoie, B. Hazel, J. Côté, Y. Laroche, P. Mongenot","doi":"10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624438","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624438","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents an innovative technique to repair head gate and spillway gate wheel tracks at a fraction of the cost and time usually required, without compromising quality. A small portable robot is used to rectify the wheel track to within very tight tolerances. This is accomplished by coupling the small and flexible robot to an accurate measurement system to scan the wheel track surface topography. Robotic grinding is then performed, using a controlled metal removal rate strategy to iterate toward the desired target profile. If required, a stainless steel plate can be welded over the existing track with an innovative method involving post-heat treatment and hammer peening. This particular welding procedure was developed due to the high carbon content of the steel of the existing track. The technique was successfully tested on a few occasions on gates owned by Rio Tinto Alcan and Hydro Quebec.","PeriodicalId":374619,"journal":{"name":"2010 1st International Conference on Applied Robotics for the Power Industry","volume":"10 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"120938264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. N. Ahmadabadi, H. Moradi, A. Sadeghi, A. Madani, M. Farahnak
{"title":"The evolution of UT pole climbing robots","authors":"M. N. Ahmadabadi, H. Moradi, A. Sadeghi, A. Madani, M. Farahnak","doi":"10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624422","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624422","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper, we present three pole climbing robots which were evolved gradually to reduce the complexity and increase the payload of the robots. The designs evolved toward natural stability, which is inspired from human pole climbers. In contrast to human climbers, all three versions rely on wheel mechanism to ensure smooth and fast climbing motion. The stability of the robots was statically analyzed and simulated. Furthermore, the robots have been implemented and successfully tested.","PeriodicalId":374619,"journal":{"name":"2010 1st International Conference on Applied Robotics for the Power Industry","volume":"141 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121067697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Maski underwater robot: Technology, field experience and benefits","authors":"A. Croteau, Normand Duguay","doi":"10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624445","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624445","url":null,"abstract":"Hydro-Québec operates 58 hydroelectric power plants and owns over 500 dams and control structures. In order to ensure their safety and proper operation, Hydro-Québec develops robotic technologies that can perform diagnosis and interventions tasks underwater. More than an ROV, Maski is really an underwater robot, as it can perform motion in a fully automated fashion, in manual piloting or using partly assisted navigation modes. These functionalities are made possible by the integration of a sophisticated positioning system that combines input from various sensors to produce a continuous and optimal estimate of the robot's position. The Maski robot can accomplish various tasks: visual inspection with on-screen measurement of defects, surface reconstruction from profiling sonar data, acoustic imaging and light intervention. This paper describes the distinctive features of Maski, presents results from different field jobs and explains how the use of this technology provides significant cost savings.","PeriodicalId":374619,"journal":{"name":"2010 1st International Conference on Applied Robotics for the Power Industry","volume":"58 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126088198","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Transmission line inspection robots: Design of the power supply system","authors":"J. Caxias, Fernando A. Silva, J. Sequeira","doi":"10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624426","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/CARPI.2010.5624426","url":null,"abstract":"This work aims to develop a power supply system to use with the RIOL robot, [1], useful for inspecting high voltage overhead power lines. The power supply operating principle is based on the harvesting of the magnetic energy around the power supply lines by clamping a transformer around the line. A switching power rectifier, controlled to emulate a resistor, is then connected to the transformer secondary to obtain the robot needed voltages (55V ± 2.5%) and power (800W). Simulation results are presented and discussed.","PeriodicalId":374619,"journal":{"name":"2010 1st International Conference on Applied Robotics for the Power Industry","volume":"14 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115981082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}