Magnetic Climbing Robot Design for Wind Turbines

Abstract

This work presents the design of a magnetic climbing robot intended for the inspection of wind turbine towers, with particular interest in future offshore applications. The developed system combines hybrid magnetic adhesion and motorized locomotion to move safely and efficiently across vertical ferromagnetic surfaces. The paper describes the mechanical design of the robot, locomotion system, and component distribution, as well as the implemented electronic control and power architecture. The proposed solution employs permanent magnets together with selectively activated electromagnets to improve stability during vertical displacement. Furthermore, a preliminary validation based on theoretical analysis and simulations on metallic surfaces is presented. The obtained results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed system as a robotic platform for inspection and predictive maintenance applications in the wind energy sector.