We develop a robot that can automatically inspect pipes from the outside of the complicated piping in oil plants, etc. Our robots move by means of magnetic wheels. The natural rubber is used to generate friction against the piping. The robot consists of a lift part, a drive part, a motor for lifting a drive part, and a motor for driving a magnetic wheel. The drive part rises and descends through the rack gear when the motor installed in the lift part turns. The robot composed of three connected units is able to move along the horizontal piping, move along the lower side of straight piping, rise along vertical piping, and traverse a flange connecting two pipes, while holding the stability of the robot's posture. Next, we derive the adhesion condition suitable to horizontal/vertical pipes, the condition to detach from the piping, and the degree of adhesion of the magnetic wheel. Then we measure the power of the lift motor necessary for the robot to part from the piping, and we select the driving motor for rising along the vertical piping.
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