Mobile platform for hydraulic turbine blade repair robot

  • Zhongcheng Gui
  • Qiang Chen
  • Zhenguo Sun
  • Wenzeng Zhang
  • Kang Liu
Research Article
  • 64 Downloads

Abstract

The wall-climbing mobile platform (MP) of a robot for repairing a hydraulic turbine blade onsite is developed. The MP is equipped with ferromagnetic adhesive devices and can work on a spatial curved surface. The contradiction between mobility and load-bearing ability is analyzed, and the problem of self-adaptation to the curved face is solved using differential-driven wheeled locomotion with ferromagnetic adhesive devices. The platform adheres to the blade surface through the force provided by the ferromagnetic devices, and a certain gap exists between the magnetic devices and the blade’s surface. A mechanism of three revolution degrees of freedom, which connects the magnetic devices with the platform’s chassis, is developed to make the platform self-adapt to the complex curved surface of the turbine blade. A proof-of-principle prototype has been manufactured, and experiments prove the success of the MP. The payload of the zero-turn-radius MP with excellent maneuverability exceeds 80 kg. The platform can automatically adapt to complex spatial surfaces, which satisfy the requirements of a hydraulic turbine blade in-situ repair robot.

Keywords

repair robot wall-climbing mobile platform hydraulic turbine blade 

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Copyright information

© Higher Education Press 2008

Authors and Affiliations

  • Zhongcheng Gui
    • 1
  • Qiang Chen
    • 1
  • Zhenguo Sun
    • 1
  • Wenzeng Zhang
    • 1
  • Kang Liu
    • 1
  1. 1.Key Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing by Materials Processing Technology Ministry of EducationTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina

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