Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research (IC&SR) , IIT Madras

Artemis: Railroad Crack Detection Robot

Categories for this Invention

Technology: Railroad Crack Detection Robot;

Industry: Railway Industry,

Application: Railway Industry;

Market: The global rail flaw detection robot market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.10% during 2024-2030.

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Problem Statement

  • The conventional maintenance of the railway tracks, it become highly difficult and unreasonably costly to manually go and check for cracks in railway tracks.
  • Further if it left undetected, which may lead to derailments.
  • Derailments are a serious challenge for railways and cause great loss of life .
  • Hence, it is needed to address the issues.
  • Present invention addresses above challenges & provide solutions efficiently.

Technology

  • The present invention describes a non-destructive, non-interrupting rail road continuously operable inspection system for detecting defects in a rail track.
  • Said non-destructive, non-interrupting continuously operable inspection method for detecting defects in a rail track.
  • The Robot travel along a track, & using ultrasound technology, infrared technology, & eddy current based sensors, it would detect crack.

  • During operation, Robot reaches the earmarked station, and share data which helps to know exactly where the cracks located for corrective measures. 

  • The robot can move on the inner portions of the railway tracks in such a way that railway locomotives can move from above on the same track.
  • For achieving this feat, the axes of the wheels are aligned vertically.
  • To move above the fish plates, the use of custom made spring suspension system are incorporated., Further, for the stability of the robot, there are six wheels used along with six suspensions incorporated.(3 wheels on either side) (Refer Fig 1A)

Key Features / Value Proposition

Technical Perspective:

  • Uniqueness in the Robot Design, therefore the robot can be integrated with the existing railway infrastructure easily.
  • Said Robot can move on the inner portions of the railway tracks in such a way that railway locomotives can move from above on the same track.
  • The system comprises of a carriage base means adapted for being self propelled within a two-rail track.
  • A plurality of sensors & the most preferred is an array of ultrasonic, infrared sensors, eddy current based sensors & transducers in between its tires which roll along a rail web adapted for transmission & reception of ultrasonic beams into and from the at least one rail for detection of defects within the rail.
  • The system also includes a data acquisition means in communication with the plurality of sensor means.
  • The Methods used by the railways for accident deterrence cause disruptions in the regular working of the Indian Railways, causing losses.
  • Provide real time solution in terms of real time transmission whenever a crack is detected.
  • The transmitted message includes location of the crack & the time of detection.
  • Facilitate GSM sim module which works on cellular network, alternatively,

-as a failsafe(in case of network errors) measure the location of the cracks in a SD card using a microcontroller SD card shield.

  • Eliminates visual inspection & manual inspection, & save time, secure process, avoid the risk of human lives.

Industrial Perspective:

  • The robot design facilitates the addition & usage of equipment for the main purpose (crack detection) as well as for secondary purposes like surveillance.
  • This cost-effective design is also completely modular for easy maintenance of the robot.

Questions about this Technology?

Contact For Licensing

sm-marketing@imail.iitm.ac.in
ipoffice2@iitm.ac.in

Research Lab

Inventors:

Shashwat Kumar Sahoo

Kavan Paresh Salva

Anoubhav Agarwal

Department of  Biotechnology

Yash Deepak Patil

Department of Civil Engineering

Intellectual Property

  • IITM IDF Ref. 1643

  • IN Patent No: 460037

Technology Readiness Level

TRL-4

Technology validated in Laboratory

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