MOBILE ROBOT FOR INSPECTIONS OF GAS PIPELINE

This report initially introduces the author perception on fully autonomous
robotics. He relates how many science fiction movies in the past predicted today' s
technology and relate it to the future of robotics. Then this report discusses about
robotics in the pipeline domain. Many pipe line robots like Tractor L500, KARO,
KANTARO and a few more are discussed and classified in categories in the
literature review. The categories are none, semi and fully autonomous robots. Fully
autonomous robots are discussed in more detailed. Most of the fully autonomous
robots have complex navigating mechanism and multiple sensors for motion control
and yet none of the models implemented guarantee the reliability of the system. So
ARIS is born to make this category of robot more reliable. Before entering the
discussion on the proto type, this report states the method and approach that the
author do the project. The mechanical, design, and control system specification that
were set before building the prototype and control system are also stated in the
section. Next this report introduces the first prototype (DDO.l ). This prototype is
design base on the wheeled type. After many hours of testing, design flaws are
discovered when few mechanical and control problems occur and can't be solve.
This leads to a big move by the author to redo the chassis design. This report also
discusses on the new prototype Advance Robotics Inspection System (ARIS). It is
designed base on previous failed attempts. Its design is base on the caterpillar type
which allows the robot to turn 360 degrees and climb over obstacles without getting
stuck. Finally fuzzy logic control was implemented. All the experimental modeling
procedure and results are discussed in detail in this report. The report discusses on
full detail on how to get parameters for the autonomous system in curving pipe and
pipe with obstacles most commonly section of pipe with brackets. Experiments on
fully autonomous movement when robot entering a Tor L junction hasn't been done
due to no such facility of junction pipe in UTP. Because of that, this report have
state a recommendation for UTP to have a proper facility for in pipe robotic testing.
This scope of research have great potential as it gives the world a solution on
pipeline inspection that is very crucial especially in the oil and gas industry where
safety is a big issue.