Wall-climbing robots are the designed systems and have such type of mechanism that enable to cover a vertical distance along the rough texture, concrete, metals and even glass or walls. These have adhesive mechanisms due to which they can attach to the wall and can perform the required the operations or functions. These robots have many applications like surveillance, cleaning, inspection and maintenance in the industries and other sectors. They can perform the tasks easily in the critical locations or conditions where humans cannot work due to safety risks and danger. The main parts of the wall climbing robots are actuators, sensors and control systems. The sensors are used to detect the texture of surfaces, hindrance and other objects. The actuators are the devices that help in setting of the direction, speed and power to handle. The control systems control functions, plan the path and evaluate the structure of surface.
Wall climbing robots are used in the maintenance and inspection of the buildings and industries. There are some complex types of machinery or equipment where maintenance is not possible and requires very care and efficiency. But with the help of wall climbing robots, maintenance of machines like turbines, ships, planes, military tanks, and other equipment is become easy. The human cannot enter in the location or climb on the high rise buildings or skyscrapers and wind turbines. But wall climbing robots can go and climb on the skyscrapers and high-rise building for the detection of cracks, damage, and other corrosion and maintenance purposes. The human cannot work in the environment or location where there are more hazards and risks for their health so wall climbing robots can work there and perform the duties efficiently because hazardous environment has no effect on robots.
The operational and maintenance costs of the industrial and commercial establishments have been lessened because with the use of wall climbing robots, the cranes and scaffolding tools are not required. The tasks are performed efficiently and precisely with these wall climbing robots. The detection of leaks, cracks and harmful radiations from the nuclear, thermal and chemical plants can be performed easily with the wall climbing robots. The monitoring of the systems which require constant surveillance can be conducted perfectly with these robots. These robots have significant role in cleaning of the glass, windows and solar panels installed on the high rise buildings and structures. Because human labour force cannot clean the windows or solar panels on skyscrapers efficiently and consume more time for this task and also there are risks of danger or harm. It means , these robots have made the process of cleaning more easy and less costly. The wall climbing robots have very important role in the military sectors these can be used for the surveillance and can infiltrate in the dangerous and risky area and can get the confidential information. The researchers and engineers are working on the integration of Artificial intelligence with wall climbing robots so that they can be used for the exploration and observance of rocks or mountain surfaces in the space or other planets. These robots might be used for welding and painting on the inclines and irregular surfaces of the buildings.
The magnets are used in the wall climbing robots to produce attraction between the robots and walls of the metals ( steel, iron, cast iron). With these magnets, they can be easily stick to the metal surfaces of the structure or buildings. The electromagnets and permanents or the combination of permanent or electromagnets are used in these robots for the production of adherence or attraction force. The adherence or attachment strength between the surface and robot is ensured and maintained with the help of strong magnetic field. The variation of magnetic field affect the attachment or grip. These robots can work effectively on the vertical as well as on the inclined surfaces.
The working of the wall climbing robots is based on the mechanism with which they can attach to the inclined or vertical surface and do the assigned work with the help of control system, sensors and actuators. There are different type of adhesion or attachment systems like magnet, suction, electro, Gecko-inspired and mechanical claws are used for these robots.
Introduce different attachment methods.Focus on the application of permanent magnets and electromagnets in magnetic attachment.
Electro-adhesion
In this type of attachment, the electrostatic forces are used for producing he adhesion or attraction between surface and robot. The electrostatic forces like coulomb forces are produced with the help of electric field. Electroadhesion attachement is suitable for the surfaces of glass, wood and dry well. This attachment is completely dependent on the continuous power supply because the robots will attach to the surface until there is constant electric field.
Bio-inspired attachment:
This attachment works with van der waals forces produced due to gecko feet microstructure. The magnets , electricity and any other bonding materials is not required in this attachment. It is suitable for dry, rough, smooth and wet surfaces but strength is decreases due to any presence of dirt particles.
Negative pressure adhesion:
This type of attachement or adhesion is produced between robot and surfaces with the help of vaccum or negative pressure. The negative pressure vacuum environment is produced with the help of vacuum pump. This is suitable for non-porous and smooth surface (marble, glass and surface coated metal).
Hybrid attachment method:
In this attachment method, different adhesion methods like electro, magnetic, suction and mechanical method are used for creating the adhesion between the robot and surface. It is used for metallic and rough surfaces.
Mechanical claw attachment:
In this attachment, the claws, gripper and hooks of the robots help to attach with the surface. This attachment is only suitable for rough surfaces ( cracks, protrusions and irregular texture).
Magnetic attachment or adhesion:
In this mechanism, the temporary ( electro) and permanent ( rare earth or other) magnets are used for producing the adhesion between the electromagnetic or metal surfaces and robots. This is achieved with the generation of magnetic field by magnets. This attachment of the wall climbing robot is only suitable and effective for the surfaces made of metals like steel and iron and ferromagnetic materials. This can not be used on the surface of non metallic bodies. The wall climbing robots containing magnetic attachment are widely used for the inspection and maintenance of the large size steel tanks, ships, bridges and structures made up of steel or iron alloys.
The magnets widely used in the magnetic attachment of the wall climbing robots are permanent magnets because of the reliability and strongest magnets strength.
SmCo ( samarium cobalt) magnets:
Due to unique properties like high resistance against corrosion and stability against high temperature conditions, these magnets are used in the wall climbing robots.
NdFeB ( Neodymium iron cobalt) magnets:
Neodymium iron cobalt magnets produce strongest and high performance magnetic field that is the reason that they have applications in the specific type of robots like wall climbing robots. The magnetic strength of magnets is higher than that of samarium cobalt magnets.
Electromagnets:
When there is a need of temporary or controlled attachement or adhesion in the wall climbing robots then electromagnets are used. The attachment strength can be adjusted with the variation of magnetic field of the electromagnets. The constant amount of energy is required for the attachment system of the wall climbing robots. There are two type of electromagnets Alternating current electromagnets and direct current electromagnets. In Alternating current electromagnets, the AC current is used and these cannot be used in the remote location where supply of alternating current is not available. In DC electromagnets, Direct current is used and these can be used in any location.
The combination of electromagnet and permanent magnet is used for the wall climbing robots to achieve the properties like high magnetic strength and control of variable magnetic field. Using these magnets, strength of attachment of the wall climbing robots can be changed according to the requirements. The advantage of electronmagnets and permanent magnets are availed by this hybrid magnet.
Flexible magnets:
Flexible magnets are the magnets which have rubber type magnetic sheets and suitable for the irregular surfaces and widely used when there is need of flexible adhesion.
Control attachment and release through electromagnets.
The electromagnets are used in the attachment or adhesion system of the wall climbing robots for controlling the attachment and detachment of the wall climbing robots with surfaces. The control is done with the variation of current and it is attached with surface when current is on and it is detached when turn off the supply of current.
The electromagnets are used in the wall climbing robots for the inspection of ships , tanks (storage) and bridges because of flexible operation. These magnets are also used to perform the rescue and surveillance operations. The maintenance of powerplants and factories is done with the help of electromagnetic based wall climbing robots.
The cracks and damage in the storage tanks, bridges and pipeline are detected with the help of wall climbing robots. The wall climbing robots can move and take pics of the affected parts like corroded or damaged. The data provided by wall climbing robots is real time and accurate. The cleaning of the powerplants and other complex machineries can be done perfectly and efficiently.
In chemical and nuclear powerplants, where harmful and dangerous radiations and gases are evolved. These evolves gases and radiations are very harmful for the human workers. So there, the operation and tasks can be completed easily and efficiently with wall climbing robots.
There are various advantages and benefits of the magnetic technology in the robots.
Strong adhesion and reliability:
These magnets provide the strong adheshion power to the wall climbing robots with which they can attach perfectly with walls. The attachment requires no mechanical tool or instrument.
Efficient:
Permanent magnet attachments of the wall climbing robots do not require supply of energy and provide high strength attachment.
Easy attachment and Release
The magnetic attachment/detachment of the wall climbing robots is easy and can be done in very less time.
No noise and vibration:
The magnetic technology of the robots has made the operation less noisy and no vibration.
Lightweight and compact:
The design of the robots is become compact and lightweight.
Work in hazardous environment:
The robots with magnetic adhesion technology can perform the tasks and operation in harmful and dangerous environment.
Precise control:
The electromagnetic attachment technology of the wall climbing robots can control the attachment and detachment according to the requirements.
Challenges and limitations
The electromagnets used in the wall climbing robots have some issues and challenges. Some of the issues are that these type of magnets need power supply and consume the energy. The electro permanent magnets should be used. The other challenge is the generation of heat which decreases the efficiency. The stability or continuous power supply to the system is also a challenge. The capacitor or regulators can be used. The electro magnets need more power for increasing the magnetic field.
Optimization of performance of magnets
The performance of the magnets used in the wall climbing robots can be optimized by different approaches. There should be sensors in the robots for the detection of type of surfaces so that suitable magnetic strength is adjusted and adhesion between walls and robot can be made stronger. The energy released during the process should be reused for charging the battery. A backup attachment mechanism should also be there in robot so in case of failure of magnetic attachment system it can work. The light weight materials should be used so that design can be compact.
The wall climbing robots can be made more effective and perfect for performing the duties like cleaning , maintenance and surveillance by improving the magnetic attachment mechanism. The magnets of higher magnetic strength and unique properties should be used. there is need to work on the design of effective magnetic material for these type of robots. The hybrid magnetic technology in which two or more type of attachment methods are used like vacuum and magnetic, electro and permanent magnet and magnet and gecko-inspired can be developed and used for effective wall climbing robots.
The wall climbing robots are widely used for different type of applications like monitoring of processes, maintenance of machines and powerplants, cleaning of high rise building and surveillance of security related locations. The magnets have made the function of these robots very effective, reliable and economical. The robots with magnetic attachment mechanism can only be used for metal surfaces. Further research hand development in the design of magnets may help in making the wall climbing robots more efficient and useful for human being in performing the duties in hazardous environment.
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