Design and Static Equilibrium Analysis of a Modular Pipe Inspection Robot

Inspection of tube networks is an important process in the manufacturing and maintenance of aircraft. Currently, borescopes are commonly used with limited success. To improve the inspection process, a prototype design based on a vertebra concept is introduced, analyzed, and optimized. The modular robotic inspection system (MoRIS) allows for a microsized camera to be driven noninvasively through a 3-m-long, 36-mm internal diameter tube network. MoRIS provides a complete view of the tube walls. Our system includes a localization algorithm that tracks the progress of the robot inside the tubes. This algorithm results in an experimentally validated error of 19.7 mm. Using MoRIS, operators can inspect tube networks that previously required hazardous disassembly of aircraft.