Validation of Accuracy Improvement Effect and Factor of Precision Measuring Robot Using Electromagnet Vibration Analysis

Abstract

In electric power stations, precise measurement of the surface roughness is absolutely necessary for reducing the environmental load and ensuring quality and safety. Such precise measurement is a difficult and stressful manual operation because it is performed in uncomfortable environments such as high places and narrow spaces. This puts workers in stressful situations and painful postures. We research and develop a crawler-type robot for precise geometric measurement of the surface roughness to relieve stress and improve the working environment. Our robot uses electromagnets to ensure precise measurement accuracy and to reduce the weight and size. In a previous paper, we presented measurement experiments with our robot, which showed that it reduced the standard deviation of the roughness parameter Ra by one-third to one half. From these results, we considered that the use of the precision measurement unit using electromagnet resulted reduction of measurement variation. Example of factors of improved accuracy is vibration reduction, improved rigidity, resistance of temperature change, reduction of deformation, stability, and so on. In the present study, we focus on vibration and analyzed the vibration reduction effect of our unit in the X, Y, and Z directions with a small orthogonal three-axis accelerometer. The results of the vibration experiments confirm that the vibration is reduced in these directions by our unit.