Sewer pipe maintenance robot and method thereof

Sewer Pipe Maintenance Robot and Method Thereof

This technology is an automated robotic system that utilizes non-destructive testing signals (such as radiation, ultrasound, and laser) within sewer pipes to detect the 3D coordinates of infiltration points on the outer wall, and employs a dual-arm manipulator to drill and inject repair materials at those specific locations.

Sewer maintenance sites face high risks of safety accidents (suffocation, electric shock, falls), high labor intensity, and declining work efficiency due to labor shortages and an aging workforce.

This technology integrates a tilt sensor and a dual-arm manipulator onto a mobile platform. It performs precise, non-destructive detection and repair by generating 3D coordinates of infiltration points via a non-destructive testing module (first arm) and controlling automated drilling and injection via a repair module (second arm). Applicable to industrial robots and automated systems, it enhances safety and speed in sewer repair and reinforcement, thereby improving overall process efficiency and quality.

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Key Features:

• Manipulator equipped with an inspection module that detects infiltration points and generates coordinates using non-destructive testing signals, and a repair module for drilling and injecting repair materials
• Communication unit that transmits infiltration point coordinates and receives control signals via wireless communication with a remote control device
• Mobile platform that moves along the sewer pipe and controls the manipulator to maintain a horizontal position relative to the ground
• Dual-arm structure where the first arm is equipped with the inspection module and the second arm with the repair module

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning's Nanotechnology-based Convergence Research Program.