Cable-Suspended Robot Navigation in Congested Industrial Plants
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Inspecting and maintaining complex industrial plants, such as oil and gas facilities, is time-consuming and challenging due to the convoluted network of pipes, with existing robotic technologies having limitations in deployment and accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A cable-driven robotic platform system with a rigid chassis, navigation sensors, and a master control computer that uses a 3D model of the workspace to navigate and avoid obstacles, allowing the platform to be suspended from overhead cables and move freely in three dimensions, equipped with tools and sensors for inspection and maintenance tasks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional ground robots, magnetic robots, or drones are used for inspection, then specific applications can be covered, but accessibility to complex convoluted pipe networks is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from ground-based or drone-based inspection to an overhead cable-suspended robotic platform that operates in three-dimensional space. This dimensional change allows the robot to access complex convoluted pipe networks by moving freely in X, Y, and Z directions, overcoming the accessibility limitations of traditional two-dimensional ground robots or drones.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable-driven robotic platform is designed as a universal inspection system that can adapt to various industrial plant configurations. The robot can navigate different pipe diameters, heights, and layouts by adjusting cable lengths and suspension points, making it versatile for inspecting diverse complex pipe networks rather than being limited to specific application scenarios.
2Productivity
If manual inspection methods are used, then flexibility is maintained, but inspection time and labor costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic platform is equipped with autonomous navigation capabilities including sensors (cameras, LIDAR, ultrasonic sensors) and onboard processors that enable it to detect obstacles, map the environment, and navigate independently without continuous human intervention. This self-service capability significantly reduces inspection time compared to manual methods while maintaining operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inspection with an automated robotic system that uses sensors, computer vision, and algorithmic navigation. This substitution of mechanical human labor with an automated electromechanical system dramatically increases inspection speed and productivity while reducing the time required to complete thorough inspections of complex pipe networks.
3Adaptability or versatility
If overhead cable suspension system is implemented, then three-dimensional movement and reachability are maximized, but system complexity and installation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cable suspension system is divided into modular components: multiple independent cables, individual motorized reels, and separate suspension points. This segmentation allows the system to be installed incrementally, with each cable and reel unit being relatively simple to install and maintain. The modular structure also enables flexible configuration to match different plant layouts, maximizing three-dimensional reachability while managing installation complexity.
4Area of stationary object
If more cables and suspension points are added to expand workspace, then coverage area increases, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic cable length adjustment through motorized reels that can independently extend or retract cables based on real-time navigation requirements. This dynamic capability allows a relatively small number of cables and suspension points to cover a large workspace by adjusting cable lengths programmatically, rather than requiring a dense static network of cables throughout the entire workspace. The dynamic adaptation maximizes coverage area while minimizing the number of physical components needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Cable-driven robotic platform systems and methods of operation are disclosed. The system includes a robotic platform suspended by a system of overhead cables, motorized cable reels and pulleys. A master control computer coordinates operation of the motorized cable system as a function of sensor data captured by navigation sensors on-board the platform so as to move the robotic platform inside an industrial plant. The system is configured to maneuver around pipings and avoid obstacles in the plant in order to maximize the effective workspace that the robotic platform can reach to perform operations including inspection or repair. Additionally, a robotic “wire jacket” device can be attached to suspension cables and configured to crawl along a cable. The wire-jacket can be selectively positioned on a cable to provide an intermediate cable suspension point that improves platform mobility within congested spaces and avoids obstacles.