Work

Distribution station inspection robot with modular manipulator

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Substation inspection robots play a vital role in ensuring the safety of power grid systems and improving operational efficiency. However, existing inspection robots often face challenges such as limited flexibility at the mechanical end-effector, slow tool-switching speeds, and an inability to meet diverse operational demands, which restrict their efficiency and adaptability. To overcome these limitations, this paper introduces a substation inspection robot equipped with a modular robotic arm. The robot incorporates a coaxially aligned end-effector design, enabling rapid tool switching across three operational modes via a single-degree-of-freedom drive. This design allows for precise operation of control devices, including push buttons, rotary switches, and draw-out circuit breakers, significantly enhancing both operational flexibility and efficiency. Moreover, the robot adheres to the principles of low cost, open-source accessibility, and modularity, making it particularly suitable for indoor substation inspection tasks and operational validations. Additionally, it provides a versatile hardware platform for the development of algorithms and related research. Experimental results confirm the robot's operational performance across a variety of scenarios, offering solid technological support for the realization of fully unmanned substation operations.

Source: HardwareX

DOI: 10.1016/j.ohx.2025.e00652

Authors: Qihui Yu, Qinglong Zhang, Guoxin Sun, Ripeng Qin

Institution: Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology

Language: English

Topic: Power Line Inspection Robots

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $610