Modular climbing robot for service‐sector applications

Abstract

Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation (IFF). SIRIUS is a climbing robot meant for any vertical surface, regardless of the angle. The robot can be outfitted with tools to perform a variety of service‐sector tasks such as façade cleaning, building and ship coating, ship welding, inspection work on tanks, and so on. It is a modular system, and the robot can be adapted to almost any surface, independent of the surface material or obstacles. The robot stays attached to the surface via suction cup feet or magnetic grippers, and moves vertically on four linear guides that are coupled in two pairs. The new kinematics of the robot allow it to walk continuously in all directions. The robot overcomes obstacles by sensing their position and generating the necessary step length in order to maximize the number of suction cups attached to the surface while walking over the obstacle.

Theoretical model of the grasp with vacuum gripper

“…(17)- (19) in which the unknowns are p 0 , a, b, F V and the second (15), (16), (20) containing the unknowns x K , y K , f. Consequently, for each value of the vacuum level found in the suction cup, and therefore also for the F V value, it is possible to determine with the first system of equations the values of p 0 , a, b and with the second system the values of x k and y k and above all for f, which is the minimum value of the static-friction coefficient able to guarantee the grasp. It is necessary however, to verify that the vacuum level is always able to guarantee positive pressure on the edge of the suction cup (p P 0).…”

“…The recent applications of vacuum suction are related to wall surface mobile robot with vacuum gripper feet [14][15][16][17][18].…”

A survey of climbing robots: Locomotion and adhesion

“…[105][106][107][108][109][110][111] An automatic facade cleaning robot, SIRIUSc, has been developed for use on a high-rise building. 107,111 The robot is supported by the cables of a gantry at the top of a facade, which lowers it down the side (Fig. 14).…”

Control System for a Semi-automatic Façade Cleaning Robot

“…At this time, there is only one known system that is in practical operation. That is the automatic system for the cleaning of the vaulted glass hall of the Leipzig Trade Fair, Germany (Figure 1), which was developed by the Fraunhofer Institute IFF, Germany [4]. It must also be added that this system is only applicable to this particular building.…”