International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET)

Volume 8, Issue 5, May 2017, pp. 365–371, Article ID: IJMET_08_05_039

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DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF VACUUM

ASSIST WALL
WA CLIMBER
Chikesh Ranjan, Shahid..J.Akhtar, Ajit Kumar Choudhary, Vivek Vishal Jaysawa
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, RTC Institute of Technology, Anandi, Ormanjhi, Ranchi,
India.

ABSTRACT
In order to perform maintenance on the outer walls of a high-rise
high rise building, fire
rescue, inspection of high pipes and wall, evaluation and diagnosis
diagnosis of a storage tank
in nuclear including sweeping, painting and repairs, a device that enables the easy
attachment/detachment of working equipment such as a gondola to the outer wall of a
building is necessary. Though vacuum suction pads can be used to to fasten equipment to
a vertical wall easily and without causing damage to the contact surface, their suction
force should be designed by considering both external conditions and the loads of
working equipment. In this project, we performed a basic experiment
experiment on the vacuum
suction force of suction pads attached to a vertical wall under various load conditions.
Key words: Vacuum Suction Force, Suction Pads, High-rise
High rise Building, Vertical Outer
Wall, Fastening Equipment.
Equipment
Cite this Article: Chikesh Ranjan, Shahid.J.Akhtar, Ajit Kumar Choudhary, Vivek
Vishal Jaysawa Design and Fabrication of Vacuum Assist Wall Climber.
Climber International
Journal of Mechanical Engineering
Enginee and Technology, 8(5), 2017, pp. 3665–371.
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1. INTRODUCTION
It has long been a dream of man to possess the power to walk up vertical surfaces. Now
vacuum assist wall climber will fulfil this dream of climb over a vertical surface against the
gravity which may provide some super human abilities to normal human. This is a wall
climbing machinene which uses its vacuum pumps to produce a grip against the wall surfaces. It
is worn like a backpack, can climb up to any height on any surfaces-
surfaces including glass, brick or
rock-without
without a rope. But the most important element was to come up with technology that can
grip to any vertical surface. So we developed the vacuum assist wall climber, which is made
from two suction pads and household vacuum pump. The pads, unsurprisingly, form an
airtight seal when pressed against a vertical surface which is strengthened
strengthened by the suction from
the vacuum. It can also be operated hands-free,
hands free, allowing a soldier to wield a weapon or other
device without falling to the ground. This is Industrial applications, where a vacuum pressure
is used include materials handling, lamping,
lamping, sealing and vacuum forming. In terms of
materials-handling
handling applications, a pneumatic vacuum can be used to lift smoothly objects that
have a flat surface and are not more than several hundred kg in weight. A materials-handling
materials

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 Design and Fabrication of Vacuum Assist Wall Climber

application where a vacuum cup called a suction cup is used to establish the force capability
to lift a flat sheet. The cup is typically made of a flexible material such as rubber so that a seal
can be made where its lip contacts the surface of the flat sheet. A vacuum pump is turned on
to remove air from the cavity between the inside of the cup and top surface of the flat sheet.
As the pressure in the cavity falls below atmospheric pressure, the atmospheric pressure
acting on the bottom of the flat sheet pushes the flat sheet up against the lip of the cup. This
action results in vacuum pressure in the cavity between the cup and the flat sheet that causes
an upward force to be exerted on the flat sheet. The magnitude of this force can be
determined by algebraically summing the pressure forces on the top and bottom surfaces of
the flat sheet. The atmospheric pressure on the top and bottom surfaces of the flat sheet
cancels out away from the outer circle area of the cup lip. If all the air were removed from the
cup cavity, we would have a perfect vacuum and thus the suction pressure would be equal to
zero in absolute pressure units

2. COMPONENTS OF VACUUM ASSIST WALL CLIMBER

Vacuum pump
2.2. Electric source
2.3. Pipelines
2.4. Suction pads

3. DESIGN PARAMETER
The main parameters in the design are maximum normal force at suction pad, maximum
altitude of operation of equipment and co-efficient of frication of the friction material. In
order to find the maximum normal load acting on the equipment, the vacuum pressure
generated by the motor is measured. A vacuum gauge is used for finding the pressure at the
suction end.
Vacuum pressure at the end of the suction line
= 200mmHg (mm of mercury)
= 200mmHg = 0.26675 bar.
Standard atmospheric pressure (P.atm) = 1.013 bar
Absolute pressure at the end of suction line (Pab)
= (Standard atmospheric pressure) – (vacuum pressure at the end of suction line).
= (1.013 – 0.2667)
= 0.7462 bar.
3.1. Area of suction pad
Inside area = 0.33 × 0.25 m2 = 0.082 m2
Outside area = 0.38 × 0.30 m2 = 0.114 m2
3.2. Pressure Force
Pressure Force = Pout × A out – Pin × A in
= (1.013 × 0.114 - 0.7462 × 0.082)
= (0.115 – 0.062)
= 0.0530 × 105 N
= 5300 N

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 Chikesh Ranjan, Shahid.J.Akhtar, Ajit Kumar Choudhary, Vivek Vishal Jaysawa

3.3. Maximum normal load

Maximum normal load (in kg) = 5300/ 9.8
= 540.81 ~ 500 kg.
There is a safe altitude up to which the equipment can safely operate. Also it depends
upon the load acting on equipment. Since he machine has an ultimate normal load capacity of
500 kg, margin of 200 kg is given. SO the ultimate is 300 kg.

3.4. Safe load

Safe load 150 kg can be assumed

4. DESIGN FORMULA
Horizontal suction pads, vertical force.
F th = m × (g + a) × f .s
Vertical suction pads, vertical force.
F th = m × (g +a/f) × f .s
Where,
F th =Theoretical holding force [N]
m = mass [kg]
g = acceleration due to gravity [9.81 m/s2]
a = system acceleration [m/s2] [max x, y & z axis = 5 m/s2]
f.s = factor of safety [ min=1.5 ,max =2.0 ]
f = co-efficient of friction

5. DESIGN AND FABRICATION

5.1. Modeling Using CATIA
CATIA V5, developed by Dassault Systemes, France, is a completely reengineered,
next-generation family of CAD/CAM/CAE software solutions for Product Lifecycle
Management. Through its exceptionally easy-to-use state of the art user interface, CATIA V5
delivers innovative technologies for maximum productivity and creativity, from concept
to the final product. CATIA V5 reduces the learning curve, as it allows the flexibility
of using feature-based and parametric designs.
The final Design of the Vacuum Assist Wall Climber with a tooling device on it is
modelled in CATIA V5 R19.

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 Design and Fabrication
Fabricatio of Vacuum Assist Wall Climber

Figure 2D Design of suction pad

Figure 3D Design of suction pad

5.2. FABRICATION
A physical prototype is being fabricated by using low cost, low weight materials which are
available in market to give a rough idea of how the robot will be and how it will work

Table 4.1 Parts Used for Fabrication

Part Part Name Materials Manufacturing Specifications No of
No. Used Method Parts
1. Suction Pad wood Manual operations 38×30×2.5mm 2
2 Vacuum Pump Plastic - 1400W flow rate 5.3 ltr/sec 2
3 Handle Steel Manual operations 15×1×0.5 cm 2
4 Pedal wood Manual operations 20×15×1.5 cm 2
5 Rope for Pedal plastic - Length-100cm
100cm 2
6 Pipeline Plastic - Diameter-4cm
4cm 2
Length-140cm
140cm
7 Switch Plastic - 6A 2
8 Bag pack Cloths 50×45×25 cm 1
9 Electric Wire copper - 400 cm 1
10 Plug (Male-Female)
Female) Plastic - - 3
11 Extension code - - 50 Meter 1

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 Chikesh Ranjan, Shahid.J.Akhtar, Ajit Kumar Choudhary, Vivek Vishal Jaysawa

6. EXPERMENTAL SET UP

Figure 4.1 Suction Pad

Figure 4.2 Vacuum Pump Figure 4.3 Pedal

Figure 4.4 Vacuum assist wall climber assemblies Figure 4.5 Bag for vacuum pump

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 Design and Fabrication of Vacuum Assist Wall Climber

Figure 4.6 Testing with two vacuum pads

6. CONCLUSION
From our work and this research paper, we can conclude that vacuum assist wall climber is
not only efficient but best option for the wall climbing .This assist wall climber gives chance
to carry heavy work to the climb. We make the entire system with less weight and aesthetics
and ergonomic consideration this assist wall climber reduce the human efforts .This project is
cheaper and its production cost will reduce more if it produce in large scale.

7. FUTURE RESEARCH SCOPE

In future research we can use battery supply to the vacuum pumps so the chances of the
failure of the vacuum can be minimized. We can reduce the system self-weight by using light
weight material for the pads. Chances of the leakage in the pads are minimize by using high
quality seals

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[4] Guido La Rosa, Michele Messina, Giovanni Muscato, R. Sinatra, "A low-cost lightweight
climbing robot for the inspection of vertical surfaces", Mechatronics, Vol 12, pp. 71-96,
2002.

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 Chikesh Ranjan, Shahid.J.Akhtar, Ajit Kumar Choudhary, Vivek Vishal Jaysawa

[5] Nishi A., “A biped walking robot capable of moving on a vertical wall”, Mechatronics,
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