Millirobotic Crawler
The use of tubing and pipe in the oil industry carrys with it many problems. Examination of the inside diameter (ID) for corrosion and other damage is difficult at best and impossible at worst. In the case of small diameter tubing that is coiled on a reel there is no method to examine the ID.
The Millirobotic Crawler design project was started to provide an internal, self-propelled device, and small and flexible enough to negotiate the curvature of the tubing coils. The design required power for overall use, propulsion for movement along the tube, sensing methods to detect damage, storage of information, and joint designs for adequate flexibility. This is a challenging project and can be a tremendous advance for the industry if the gaols can be fully accomplished.