Necessary Conditions for Running through a Flange by Using Planetary-Geared Magnetic Wheels

To discuss and consider the necessary conditions for magnetic-wheeled robots with planetary-geared magnetic wheels, this paper provides comparing static calculations about three orientations in running a flange with real experiments. SCPREM-I, a magnetic-wheeled robot, was developed for running through a flange from the bottom to the top. This robot has four magnetic wheels with a built-in planetary gearset. In experiments, however, the robot sometimes fails to run through a flange in three orientations. In this study, we statically analyze SCPREM-I to find the conditions necessary for running through the flange. We calculate the forces around the front and rear wheels in the three orientations. As a result, it has been found that the chassis of the SCPREM-I applies a forward force to the wheels when it runs through the flange. In addition, it has been found that the normal force of the A-Legs is balancing with the driving force of the wheels when the SCPREM-I fails to run through the flange.