Simulation and experimental investigation of kinematic characteristics of the wheeled in-pipe robot actuated by the unbalanced rotor

Abstract

Mobile robotic systems are currently of significant interest due to the wide range of possible applications. Among a great variety of mobile robots, specific attention is paid to the wheeled ones. The main purpose of this research consists in substantiating the possibilities of improving the vibration-driven robot equipped with the unidirectionally rotating wheels. The methodology of the present study contains the development of the robot’s 3D-model in the SolidWorks software, constructing the simplified dynamic diagram of the robot’s oscillatory system, and developing its simulation model in the MapleSim software. The research results are obtained by numerical solving of the motion equations in the MapleSim software, by simulating the robot locomotion conditions in the SolidWorks software, and by conducting experiments. The results present the main kinematic characteristics of the robot motion under different operational conditions. The major scientific novelty of this paper consists in developing the improved design of the wheeled robot driven by the centrifugal (inertial) vibration exciter and substantiating its operational peculiarities. The obtained results can be effectively used while creating the production prototypes of mobile robotic systems, particularly those for cleaning the pipelines and monitoring (inspecting) their inner surfaces, welds, joints, couplings, etc.

Locomotion characteristics of a wheeled vibration-driven robot with an enhanced pantograph-type suspension

“…The present research continues the authors’ previous investigations, which are published in ( Korendiy et al, 2022f ; Korendiy et al, 2022g ; Korendiy et al, 2023 ) and focused on theoretical and experimental studying of the dynamic behavior of the wheeled vibration-driven robots equipped with inertial exciters (unbalanced rotors) and rod-type suspensions. In this paper, the enhanced pantograph-type mechanism is proposed to be implemented as the robot’s suspension.…”

“…This influences the robot’s power consumption and average translational velocity. In addition, it is necessary to mention that the general locomotion character and operating conditions of the considered robot correspond to the ones previously modeled, simulated, and experimentally tested in ( Korendiy et al, 2022a ; Korendiy et al, 2022b ; Korendiy et al, 2022c ; Korendiy et al, 2022d ; Rusu and Tatar, 2022 ; Tagliavini et al, 2022 ; Loukanov, 2015 ; Loukanov and Stoyanov, 2015 ; Loukanov et al, 2016a ; Loukanov et al, 2016b ; Loukanov, 2016 ; Korendiy et al, 2022f ; Korendiy et al, 2022g ; Korendiy et al, 2023 ). In the considered literature, the average speed of similar robotic systems does not exceed 20 … 36 mm/s, while the proposed wheeled vibration-driven robot with the enhanced pantograph-type suspension can reach an average speed of over 40 mm/s.…”

“…The proposed robot’s suspension, mathematical and simulation models, as well as the obtained results can be used by designers and researchers of similar vibration-driven locomotion systems while implementing their experimental and industrial prototypes for various purposes, particularly, for monitoring and cleaning the pipelines. In distinction to the existent papers devoted to the wheeled vibration-driven robots, in particular, ( Korendiy et al, 2022a ; Korendiy et al, 2022b ; Korendiy et al, 2022c ; Korendiy et al, 2022d ; Rusu and Tatar, 2022 ; Tagliavini et al, 2022 ; Loukanov, 2015 ; Loukanov and Stoyanov, 2015 ; Loukanov et al, 2016a ; Loukanov et al, 2016b ; Loukanov, 2016 ; Korendiy et al, 2022f ; Korendiy et al, 2022g ; Korendiy et al, 2023 ), the proposed improved design of the pantograph-type locomotion system allows for efficient using both horizontal and vertical components of the centrifugal forces generated due to the unbalanced mass rotation and actuating the robot’s body. The vast majority of the existent vibration-driven robots with centrifugal (inertial) exciters effectively utilize only the horizontal components of the disturbing forces, while the proposed system allows for increasing the operational efficiency of the exciter.…”

“…2015; Loukanov et al, 2016a;Loukanov et al, 2016b;Loukanov, 2016;Korendiy et al, 2022f;Korendiy et al, 2022g;, the proposed improved design of the pantograph-type locomotion system allows for efficient using both horizontal and vertical components of the centrifugal forces generated due to the unbalanced mass rotation and actuating the robot's body. The vast majority of the existent vibration-driven robots with centrifugal (inertial) exciters effectively utilize only the horizontal components of the disturbing forces, while the proposed system allows for increasing the operational efficiency of the exciter.…”

Dynamics of a wheeled robot driven by an unbalanced rotor and equipped with the overrunning clutches

“…This design idea acquired further development in the papers [12,13,14], where the improved crank-type exciter was implemented in the robot's drive in order to provide efficient vibro-impact locomotion conditions. The possibilities of equipping the in-pipe vibration-driven robot with the centrifugal (inertial) exciter (unbalanced rotor) are thoroughly studied in [15,16]. The major purpose of this study consists in defining the dynamic characteristics of the wheeled robot equipped with the centrifugal vibration exciter (unbalanced rotor) and overrunning clutches ensuring the robot's wheels rotation in one direction.…”