Fully Automated Robotic Inspection of Power Generators

To face both the ageing of power generators and their stress, the inspection of power generators is a critical task necessary to prevent damages and keep the performance and efficiency at their nominal level. In this context, robotic inspection can play a crucial role since it allows a quick and efficient method to acquire data on the status of generators within a short time. This paper describes an innovative robotic system composed of a crawler robot and an automatic positioning system able to move the robot radially along the power generator. Thanks to a novel multi-sensor analysis method, this robotic system can inspect and evaluate the overall status of power generators. The inspection system combines several sensors on board a crawler robot to detect insulation failures, mechanical damages or other defects. This work describes a mechatronic system that can perform a completely automated inspection of power generators. The robotic system is extremely flexible and can be adapted to various power generators.