Technical Summary

• The robot is designed to follow the contour of any continuous closed surface
– Of particular interest is the complex contour of a wind turbine airfoil and the cylindrical contour of wind towers
• This includes the circular root near the center of the wind turbine as well as the transition from cylinder to airfoil
– Control feedback from each chassis segment allows for precise position control and automation of movement
over entire surface
• Versatility
– Various payloads can be mounted on the robot to apply coating, clean, or inspect the blade or tower
– Tower payloads include lifting heavy objects up the tower, thus eliminating the need for tall cranes
• The robot maintains traction on the closed surface by applying torque around its circumference to
create a net clamping force
– Clamping force and wheel traction required increases as the inclination of the surface moves from horizontal to
vertical or when payload mass is added
• Movement about any direction is achieved by using a Mecanum drive system