Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T21:16:47.642Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Design and optimization of a magnetic wheel for a grit-blasting robot for use on ship hulls

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 2015

Zhengyi Xu ,
Yu Xie ,
Ke Zhang ,
Yongqiang Hu ,
Xiaopeng Zhu  and
Hao Shi
Zhengyi Xu
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Laser Processing and Modification, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P. R. China
Yu Xie
Affiliation:
Shanghai Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding(Group) Co., Ltd, Shanghai, P. R. China
Ke Zhang*
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Laser Processing and Modification, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P. R. China
Yongqiang Hu
Affiliation:
Shanghai Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding(Group) Co., Ltd, Shanghai, P. R. China
Xiaopeng Zhu
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Laser Processing and Modification, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P. R. China
Hao Shi
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Laser Processing and Modification, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P. R. China
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

This paper describes an optimized magnetic wheel solution for use in a novel grit-blasting robot intended to be used on the hulls of ships. The grit-blasting robot was designed for conducting surface operations on newly-built ships in dry yards. It can be adapted to curvatures of up to 0.833 m−1; can achieve a total payload of 120 kg and can also be steered. The proposed magnetic wheel solution for robots with such payloads and surface adaptability has not been seen in previous work.

As the magnetic force acting on a magnetic wheel is very sensitive to the working conditions, a mathematical model was built to derive the exact force requirements taking into account the mechanical structure of the robot and its disposition on the ship's hull. In this paper, the design of the wheels was optimized based on the model. Wheels were manufactured according to the optimized results and a prototype robot was constructed. The design was then validated using locomotion tests.

Keywords

Grit-blasting robotMagnetic wheelShip hullsSurface conditionMagnetostatic simulation
Type
Articles
Information
Robotica , Volume 35 , Issue 3 , March 2017 , pp. 712 - 728
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Ross, B., Bares, J. and Fromme, C., “A semi-autonomous robot for stripping paint from large vessels,” Int. J. Robot. Res. 22 (7–8), 617–626 (2003).Google Scholar
2. Bar-Cohen, Y., Bao, X., Dolgin, B. P. and Marzwell, N. I., “Residue Detection for Real-time Removal of Paint from Metallic Surfaces,” 6th Annual International Symposium on NDE for Health Monitoring and Diagnostics, Newport Beach, California, US (March 4–8, 2001) pp. 115–120. International Society for Optics and Photonics.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Echt, A., Dunn, K. H. and Mickelsen, R. L., “Automated abrasive blasting equipment for use on steel structures,” Appl. Occup. Environ. Hygiene 15 (10), 713–720 (2000).Google Scholar
4. V-ROBO brochure, Urakami Research Company (2010) pp. 12, 13, available at: http://www.urakami.co.jp/img/pdf/vrobo_brochure_en.pdf.Google Scholar
5. Jetstream Hochdruck-Lösungen GmbH, Available at: http://www.jetstream-germany.com/en/products/crawler.Google Scholar
6. Iborra, A., Pastor, J. A. et al., “A cost-effective robotic solution for the cleaning of ships' hulls,” Robotica 28 (03), 453–464 (2010).Google Scholar
7. Gui, Z. C., Chen, Q., Sun, Z. G., Zhang, W. Z. and Liu, K., “Optimization of permanent-magnetic adhesion device for wall-climbing robot,” Diangong Jishu Xuebao/Trans. China Electrotech. Soc. 21 (11), 40–46 (2006).Google Scholar
8. Xu, Z. and Ma, P., “A wall-climbing robot for labelling scale of oil tank's volume,” Robotica 20 (02), 209–212 (2002).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9. Schoeneich, P., Rochat, F., Nguyen, O. T. D., Moser, R. and Mondada, F., “TRIPILLAR: A miniature magnetic caterpillar climbing robot with plane transition ability,” Robotica 29 (07), 1075–1081 (2011).Google Scholar
10. Tâche, F., Fischer, W., Caprari, G., Siegwart, R., Moser, R. and Mondada, F., “Magnebike: A magnetic wheeled robot with high mobility for inspecting complex-shaped structures,” J. Field Robot. 26 (5), 453–476 (2009).Google Scholar
11. Tang, X., Zhang, D., Li, Z. and Chen, J., “An Omni-directional wall-climbing microrobot with magnetic wheels directly integrated with electromagnetic micromotors,” Int. J. Adv. Robot. Syst. 9 (16), 4–8 (2012). doi: 10.5772/45663.Google Scholar
12. Han, S. C., Kim, J. and Yi, H. C., “A novel design of permanent magnet wheel with induction pin for mobile robot,” Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf. 10 (4), 143–146 (2009).Google Scholar
13. Yoon, K. H. and Park, Y. W., “Controllability of magnetic force in magnetic wheels,” IEEE Trans. Magn. 48 (11), 4046–4049 (2012).Google Scholar
14. Pazderski, D., Kozłowski, K. and Dixon, W. E., “Tracking and Regulation Control of a Skid Steering Vehicle,” American Nuclear Society Tenth International Topical Meeting on Robotics and Remote Systems, Gainesville, Florida (Mar. 2004) pp. 369–376.Google Scholar
15. Thueer, T. and Siegwart, R., “Mobility evaluation of wheeled all-terrain robots,” Robot. Auton. Syst. 58 (5), 508–519 (2010).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16. Ellery, A., “Environment–robot interaction–the basis for mobility in planetary micro-rovers,” Robot. Auton. Syst. 51 (1), 29–39 (2005).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17. Ida, N. and Bastos, J. P., Electromagnetics and Calculation of Fields (Mittra, R. Ed.) (Springer, New York, 1997), vol. 2, pp. 182–189.Google Scholar
18. Jin, J., The Finite Element Method in Electromagnetics (John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2002) pp. 184–185.Google Scholar