VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

JNANA SANGAMA, BELAGAVI-590018

A PROJECT REPORT ON
“INDUSTRIAL PIPE INSPECTION AND RUST REMOVAL”

A project report submitted in practical fulfillment of the requirement for the award of
BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING
IN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Submitted by

BHARATH C N 1AY15ME027
S K PAVAN KRISHNA 1AY15ME089
SAMPATH S PATTANSHETTY 1AY15ME095

Under the guidance of

MR. SACHIDANANDA K B
Asst Professor,
Department of mechanical engineering
Acharya Institute of Technology,
Bangalore-560107

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
(Affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi )
SOLDEVNHALLI, BANGALORE-56007 ,
2018-2019

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 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SOLDEVNHALLI, BANGALORE-56007
2018-2019

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project work entitled “INDUSTRIAL PIPE INSPECTION AND
RUST REMOVAL” carried out by

BHARATH C N 1AY15ME027
S K PAVAN KRISHNA 1AY15ME089
SAMPATH S PATTANSHETTY 1AY15ME095

Are the bonafied students of ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHONOLOGY in practical fulfillment of

award of Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering of Visvesvaraya Technological
University, Belgavi, during the academic year 2018-2019. This is certified that all corrections
/suggestions indicated for internal assessment have been incorporated in the report deposited
in department library . The project report has been approved as it satisfies the academic
requirement in respect of project work prescribed for the say degree.

GUIDE COORDINATORS HOD

MR. SACHIDANANDA K B
Asst. Professor,
Dept. of Mechanical Engg.
Acharya Institute of
Technology, Bangalore
1. Prof. R. SHADAKSHARI
Asst. Professor
2. Prof. H. PAKKIRAPPA
Asst. Professor
Dr. PRAKASH S DABEER
Professor and Head
Dept. of Mechanical Engg.
Acharya Institute of
Technology, Bangalore

PRINCIPAL
Dr. PRAKASH M R
Acharya Institute of Technology,Bangalore-560107

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The satisfaction and euphoria that accompany the successful completion of any project would
be incomplete without mentioning the people who made it possible, where constant guidance
and encouragement crowned our effort with success. We take this opportunity to express the
deepest gratitude and appreciation to all those who helped us directly or indirectly towards the
successful completion of the project report.

We would like to express our gratitude to our honorable chairman Mr. B Premnath Reddy
having provided us a congenial environment and surrounding to work in.

We would like to express our gratitude and thanks to our beloved principal Dr. PRAKASH M R
Who has been source of inspiration for us.
Our sincere gratitude to Dr. PRAKASH S DABEER, HOD, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering for his
support and encouragement.

We consider this as a privilege to express our heartfelt gratitude and respect to

Mr.SACHIDANANDA K B, Assistant Professor. Dept. of Mechanical for being our guide and for his
internal and incessant support offered to us throughout the course of this topic and for constant
source of inspiration throughout the project.

We would like to thank all our faculty member and friends for their support and
encouragement throughout the development of this project.

Last but not the least, we would like to thank our parents for their excellent co-operation and
not forget their motivation.

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 DECLARATION

We the students of 7th semester BE Mechanical Engg. Acharya Institute of Technology,

Bangalore, here by declare that the project work entitled “INDUSTRIAL PIPE INSPECTION AND
RUST REMOVAL” has been carried out independently under the guidance of Mr. Sachidananda
K B Asst Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engg. Acharya Institute of Technology, Bangalore, in
partial fulfillment for the requirement for the award of BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING IN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, affiliated by Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belgavi, in the
year 2018-2019.

Place: Bangalore
Date:

BHARATH C N 1AY15ME027
S K PAVAN KRISHNA 1AY15ME089
SAMPATH S PATTANSHETTY 1AY15ME095

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 CONTENTS
1.ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6

2.LITERATURE REVIEW………………………………………………………………………………………………….7

2.1. Concept………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7

2.2.Problems caused………………………………………………………………………………………………….8

3.INSPECTING ROBOT…………………………………………………………………………………………………..10

4.PROBLEM SOLUTION…………………………………………………………………………………………………11

5.COMPONENTS AND METHODOLOGY…………………………………………………………………………11

5.1. components……………………………………………………………………………………………………….11

5.1.1. Ms Pipe …………………………………………………………………………………………………...11

5.1.2. Ms sheet metal…………………………………………………………………………………………12

5.1.3.Dc motors…………………………………………………………………………………………………12

5.1.4.Camera……………………………………………………………………………………………………..13

5.1.5.Buffing wheel…………………………………………………………………………………….………13

5.1.6.Toggle switch………………………………………………………………………………….…………13

5.1.7.Battery…………………………………………………………………………………………….………..14

6.METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………………………………………….………..14

7.WORKING………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……….16

8.CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………………………………….………………….16

9.REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………………………….………………..17

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 1. ABSTRACT

Project aims to create an autonomous robot used for in-pipe inspection and removing the rust.
The mechanism used involves a central rod upon which a translational element is fitted which
in turn is connected to three frames of links and wheels. DC motors are attached to the wheels
to achieve the drive required. The mechanism allows for small accommodation in pipe
diameters. The camera is mounted on the top of the assembly, motor is attached with the
buffering wheel to remove the rust. The robot allows for detection of cracks, buckle, corrosions,
pitting and many others.

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 2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Concept :

Pipelines are proven to be the safest way to transport and distribute gases and liquids.
Periodic inspection is required to maintain that status. Pipeline systems deteriorate
progressively over time through various means. Robotics is one of the fastest growing
engineering fields of today. Robots are designed to remove the human factor from labour
intensive or dangerous work environments and also to act in inaccessible environment.
The use of robots is more common today than ever and it is no longer exclusively used by
the heavy production industrial plants. The specific operations such as inspection,
maintenance, cleaning etc. are expensive. Thus, the application of the robots appears to
be an attractive solution. The project aims to create a robotic inspection technology. It is
beneficial to have a robot with adaptable structure to the pipe diameter, which possesses
enhanced dexterity, manoeuvrability and capability to operate under hostile conditions.
Wheeled robots are simple, energy efficient and have a great potential for long range
usage. A multi – frame robot as shown in fig. 1 offers few advantages in manoeuvrability
with the ability to adapt to in-pipe unevenness, move vertically in pipes, and stay stable
without slipping in pipes. This type of robot also has the advantage of easier
miniaturization. A challenge in its design and implementation consists in combining the
mobility with that of autonomy and low weight. Major design objectives are represented
by the adaptability of the robot to the inner diameters of the pipes and making the
machine autonomous.

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2.2 Problems Caused :

Stainless steel is resistant, but certainly not immune, to corrosion. When corrosion does
occur in stainless steel, the corrosion often manifests in a very localized manner rather than
uniform corrosion. Such corrosion can not only deteriorate the material quality but also
reduce its overall efficiency which in turn causes the decrease in productivity of the industry.
There are various ways in which such problem can be identified. Few of them are listed below
:
The pH of the water: In copper piping systems, if the pH is under a certain level it harms the
protective barrier of the pipe and leads to corrosion.
Oxygen in the water: Oxygen degrades metals, gradually converting the metal to rust. As this
happens, impurities are deposited into water lines or collected on the piping wall, creating
restrictions and blockages.
Water’s chemical make up: Minerals in water can either help or harm corrosive levels. For
instance, high levels of calcium can cause a level of build up.
Water temperature: It turns out, the hotter the water, the more pronounced the corrosion.
Water velocity: Excessive velocity and/or sudden changes in direction (turns, elbows) can
lead to erosion and corrosion because of water turbulence.
These water issues are some of the things that can lead to corrosion in your piping system.
And the effects of that corrosion can lead to numerous health problems along with wasting
your money in many ways.
In the similar way , there are plethora of reasons for cracks developed inside an industrial
pipe, some of them might may be innate while most of them don’t come with such
manufacturing defects . In order to ameliorate such defects , plenty of techniques are
employed but the basic underlying principle lies in understanding the causes that resulted in

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the crack .some of the popular causes for the crack development in the industrial pipes are
as follows :

1. Aging – In most cases, sewer lines are designed to last for a couple of decades – typically
between 40 to 60 years. Therefore, if you have older pipes, then there will be a high
likelihood that they will crack, collapse, get broken, or separate on account of the many
years they have been used.

2. Roots – If you have trees in your yard, the roots might go deep and invade your plumbing
pipes. This is one of the most common causes of cracked, broken and collapsed pipes
especially in the suburbs where homes typically have large yards with trees.

3. Poor Maintenance – Like with other aspects in your home, it is important that you get
routine maintenance and management work done on your plumbing. This way, you will
spot any problems and get them fixed before they become worse. If your sewer line,
however, has not been maintained properly for a number of years, then it is likely that a
small problem might cause cracks in your pipes. It might also break the pipes or collapse
them.

4. Human Factors – Sometimes, when utility companies perform work close to your home,
their digging and moving of the earth might cause additional stress to your pipes and sewer
system. This might cause breakage, cracking and collapsing of the pipes.

5. Environmental Factors – In other instances, a number of environmental factors might

cause the earth around your home to shift. This will put stress on your sewer lines, and
cause your pipes to eventually collapse, break or crack.

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 3. INSPECTING ROBOT

Wheeled Robot:

Wheel robots are widely used in this application due to their simple and robust design,
superior control methodologies and higher energy efficiencies. The simplest of this behave
in a similar way as regular wheeled vehicles in which they depend on their own weight
to maintain contact between their wheels and the pipe wall

3-wheeled robots may be of two types: differentially steered (2 powered wheels with an
additional free rotating wheel to keep the body in balance) or 2 wheels powered by a single
source and a powered steering for the third wheel. In the case of differentially steered wheels,
the robot direction may be changed by varying the relative rate of rotation of the two separately
driven wheels. If both the wheels are driven in the same direction and speed, the robot will go
straight. Otherwise, depending on the speed of rotation and its direction, the center of rotation
may fall anywhere in the line joining the two wheels.

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 4.PROBLEM SOLUTION

By installing such working robots and assessing them on the monitor will surely contribute
towards eliminating any unwanted material ( ferrous oxide and traces of ferrum ). This
methodwill not only clean the rust formed but also helps in tracking the relative position of the
cracks inside the industrial pipes which might to some extent reduce the cost of regular
inspection employed using orthodox and outdated approaches .

5. COMPONENTS AND METHODOLOGY

5.1 : COMPONENTS OF THE SYSTEM:

• Ms pipe
• Ms sheet metal
• Dc motors
• Camera
• Buffing wheel
• Toggle switch
• Battery

5.1.1.MS PIPE :

Mild steel (iron containing a small percentage of carbon, strong and tough but not readily
tempered), also known as plain-carbon steel and low-carbon steel, is now the most common
form of steel because its price is relatively low while it provides material properties that are
acceptable for many applications. Mild steel contains approximately 0.05–0.25% carbon making
it malleable and ductile. Mild steel has a relatively low tensile strength, but it is cheap and easy
to form; surface hardness can be increased through carburizing.

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In applications where large cross-sections are used to minimize deflection, failure by yield is not
a risk so low-carbon steels are the best choice, for example as structural steel. The density of mild
steel is approximately 7.85 g/cm3 (7850 kg/m3 or 0.284 lb/in3) and the Young's modulus is
200 GPa (29,000 ksi).

Low-carbon steels suffer from yield-point runout where the material has two yield points. The
first yield point (or upper yield point) is higher than the second and the yield drops dramatically
after the upper yield point. If a low-carbon steel is only stressed to some point between the upper
and lower yield point then the surface develops Lüder bands. Low-carbon steels contain less
carbon than other steels and are easier to cold-form, making them easier to handle

5.1.2.MS SHEET METAL :

Sheet metal is metal formed by an industrial process into thin, flat pieces. Sheet metal is one of
the fundamental forms used in metalworking and it can be cut and bent into a variety of shapes.
Countless everyday objects are fabricated from sheet metal. Thicknesses can vary significantly;
extremely thin sheets are considered foil or leaf, and pieces thicker than 6 mm (0.25 in) are
considered plate steel or "structural steel."

Sheet metal is available in flat pieces or coiled strips. The coils are formed by running a continuous
sheet of metal through a roll slitter.

5.1.3.DC MOTORS :

DC motors were the first type widely used, since they could be powered from existing direct-
current lighting power distribution systems. A DC motor's speed can be controlled over a wide
range, using either a variable supply voltage or by changing the strength of current in its field
windings. Small DC motors are used in tools, toys, and appliances. The universal motor can
operate on direct current but is a lightweight brushed motor used for portable power tools and
appliances. Larger DC motors are used in propulsion of electric vehicles, elevator and hoists, or
in drives for steel rolling mills. The advent of power electronics has made replacement of DC
motors with AC motors possible in many applications.

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5.1.4.CAMERA :

A camera is an optical instrument for capturing still images or for recording moving images,
which are stored in a physical medium such as in a digital system or on photographic film. A
camera consists of a lens which focuses light from the scene, and a camera body which holds the
image capture mechanism.

5.1.5.BUFFING WHEEL :

Polishing and buffing are finishing processes for smoothing a workpiece's surface using an
abrasive and a work wheel or a leather strop. Technically polishing refers to processes that use
an abrasive that is glued to the work wheel, while buffing uses a loose abrasive applied to the
work wheel. Polishing is a more aggressive process while buffing is less harsh, which leads to a
smoother, brighter finish. A common misconception is that a polished surface has a mirror bright
finish, however most mirror bright finishes are actually buffed.

5.1.6.TOGGLE SWITCH :

The word "toggle" is a reference to a kind of mechanism or joint consisting of two arms, which
are almost in line with each other, connected with an elbow-like pivot. However, the phrase
"toggle switch" is applied to a switch with a short handle and a positive snap-action, whether it
actually contains a toggle mechanism or not. Similarly, a switch where a definitive click is heard,
is called a "positive on-off switch".A very common use of this type of switch is to switch lights or
other electrical equipment on or off. Multiple toggle switches may be mechanically interlocked
to prevent forbidden combinations.

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5.1.7.BATTERY :

An electric battery is a device consisting of one or more electrochemical cells with external
connections provided to power electrical devices such as flashlights, smartphones, and electric
cars. When a battery is supplying electric power, its positive terminal is the cathode and its
negative terminal is the anode. The terminal marked negative is the source of electrons that will
flow through an external electric circuit to the positive terminal. When a battery is connected to
an external electric load, a redox reaction converts high-energy reactants to lower-energy
products, and the free-energy difference is delivered to the external circuit as electrical
energy. Historically the term "battery" specifically referred to a device composed of multiple
cells, however the usage has evolved to include devices composed of a single cell.

6. METHODOLOGY
A pipe inspection robot consist of central element having 12.7 mm dia, , 3 mm thickness and
176 mm in length , one translational element having 15mm dia. 3mm thick & 20mm in length.
There are 12 links out of which 3 links are 105mm (A1, A2, A3),6 links of
85mm(B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6) & another 3 links of 30mm(C1,C2,C3).The spring is 90mm in length.
The central element are joined to the 6 links the length of 28mm.On the central element links
a lateral spacing at the points 1,2,3 resp. as shown in fig. Also 3 links are B4,B5,B6 are attach to
another point 4,5,6 which are 50mm from point 1,2,3 as shown in fig. in the same way as in p
in lateral spacing & the another end is attach to the links B4,B5,B6 at point with pin joint as
shown in fig. The another link with length (A1,A2,A3) is attach to the end of the links
(B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6) at the distance as shown in fig. The motor & wheels are mounted on the
links (A1, A2, A3) as shown in fig..The front end of the structure is attached with the swiveling
& turning head consist of camera & fitted with BO motor.

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The camera & lights are mounted in a swiveling head are attached to the cylindrical body. The
swiveling head are integrated to the lighting device a typically used in LED. The LED is used to
illuminate inside the pipe line. The camera is pan & tilt by remotely. The motor wiring as shown
in fig. are supply with 12v dc power supply through adaptor. The 3v dc power is supplied to the
BO motor of camera. Operate the motor wheel the robot remote is connected. The camera is
connected to the display equipment(output) via long cable wound upon a winch There are 6
wheels the dia. Of wheel 72mm.There are 6 D.C motor having 10rpm & 12v.There are 2 BO motor
having 60rpm & 3-9v.The BO motor is used for actuate the camera & light and it is fixed to the
front side of the robot. The spring is attached to the end of the robot and it provide expand &
compression motion to the links with the help of translational element.

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 7. WORKING OF PIPE INSPECTION ROBOT

• As Pipe Inspection Robot is designed mainly for circular bore pipes, it have ability to move
inside any bore diameter pipes ranging from 8 inch to 10 inch( 203mm to 254mm ). Suitable
mechanisms are provided so that it gains ability to move inside pipes. This made possible by
mounting the surveillance camera and LEDs on head.
• The perfect fitness between the pipe and robot is first conformed after inserting the robot
in the pipe. Then the supply of DC 12Vdc current from is on for working of robot and the
camera is also started. With the help robot control having three buttons, working of robot
can be easily control the motions which is forward and reverse by one button, Using the
friction between wheels and pipe, the motion of wheels become possible.at the rear end of
the robot motor is fixed with buffering tool which can rotare up to 1000 rpm enough to scrub
the rust metal to be polished. this vehicle is operated through on and off switches .

8. CONCLUSION

Robots can be effectively used as tools to carry out work in labor intensive, hazardous and
unreachable work environments. Pipeline systems are one such environment. Robots can be
successfully implemented in pipe line inspections and remove the rust from the inner surface.

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 9. REFERENCES

1. Amr Bekhir, Abbas Dehghani, Robert Richardson (2012) - “Kinematic Analysis and locomotive
strategy of a pipe inspection robot concept for operation in active pipelines”, International
Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics Volume 1 (Issue 1).
2. E Navin Prasad, M Kannan, A Azarueen and N Karuuppasamy (2012)-“Defect Identification in
pipe lines using pipe inspection robot.”, International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and
Robotics Research Volume 1(No. 2).
3. Atul Gargade, DhanrajTambuskar, Gajanan Thokal (2013.)-“Modeling and Analysis of Pipe
Inspection Robot”, International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering ISO
9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3 (Issue 5).
4. Edwin Dertien, Stefano Stramigioli, Kees Pulles (2011)-“Development of an inspection robot
for small diameter gass distribution mains”, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and
Automation.
5. Puneet Singh and G. K. Ananthasuresh (2013)- “A Compact and Compliant External Pipe-
Crawling Robot”, IEEE Transaction on Robotics, Volume -29, (No. 1).
6.Jaspreet Singh, Tajinder Singh (2015)-”Investigation of Design & Fabrication of In-Pipe
Inspection Robot”, International Journal on Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, ISSN 2321-
5747, Volume-3, (Issue 4).
7. Hanaa Said Salim Al-Hajry and G. R. Rameshkumar (2013) - “Design and Testing of Pipeline
Inspection Robot”, International Journal of Engineering Innovation & Research ISSN: 2277-5668
Volume 2 (Issue 4).

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