Science Talk: Now, snake-shaped robots to inspect aviation engines

As China's export volumes of high-speed trains and aircraft continue to rise, advanced maintenance solutions are increasingly vital.

Professor Chen Xuefeng and his team at Xi'an Jiaotong University's iHarbour Academy of Frontier Equipment have developed a biomimetic snake-shaped robot for inspecting precision equipment like aviation engines without disassembly, revolutionizing traditional maintenance methods.

"In the past, inspecting an aviation engine required dismantling heavy machinery and extensive labor. Now, our biomimetic robot allows for 'industrial minimally invasive surgery' without dismantling," Chen said.

In confined spaces like engine interiors, traditional rigid robotic arms and current flexible robots face challenges like instability and increased positional error with length. Chen's team overcame these obstacles by optimizing the robots' design for better stability and precision.

These innovations are not just limited to aerospace but also exhibit unique advantages in fields like nuclear power and oil pipeline inspections. Chen's philosophy emphasizes pioneering work that may only show its full value decades later, a principle reflected in the team's groundbreaking achievements.

The snake robots are set to enter real aviation engines, marking a significant advancement in high-end equipment inspection and maintenance.

Liu Tingyu contributed to this story.