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Development of inspection magnetic wheel robot with pushing mechanism for flange running

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 August 2025

Kosuke Ono Open the ORCID record for Kosuke Ono [Opens in a new window] ,
Keita Nakazima ,
Shota Kobayashi ,
Takehiro Shiba  and
Yogo Takada
Kosuke Ono*
Affiliation:
Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan
Keita Nakazima
Affiliation:
Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan Daifuku Co., Ltd., Komaki, Japan
Shota Kobayashi
Affiliation:
Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan Panasonic Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
Takehiro Shiba
Affiliation:
Measurement industry Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
Yogo Takada
Affiliation:
Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan
*
Corresponding author: Kosuke Ono; Email: sg22620t@st.omu.ac.jp
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Abstract

In recent years, the deterioration of infrastructure facilities, such as bridges, has caused several problems. Currently, human inspectors conduct periodic inspections to identify damaged areas. However, this process is expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, robotic inspection has received significant attention. This study focused on magnet-wheeled inspection robots operating along complex multilevel paths. The movement from the bottom to the top surface of the flanges was particularly difficult, similar to that of an overhanging steel plate. As the motor drives the robot wheel, gravity and anti-torque interfere with the robot’s movement along its path. However, static analysis shows that the impact can be reduced depending on the robot’s posture relative to that of the flange. Therefore, a magnetic-wheeled robot with a posture-changing pushing mechanism is proposed. This study confirms that the proposed robot can travel along its path using a pushing mechanism while carrying a 1.0 kg weight. Therefore, the robot’s ability to conduct inspections while carrying heavy equipment, such as inspection devices, was confirmed.

Keywords

wheel robotmagnetic wheelflange runninginspectionpushing mechanism

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Robotica , First View , pp. 1 - 24
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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