Breakthroughs In New Magnetic Wheel Technology

In recent years, driven by the growing demand for industrial automation, wall-climbing robots have emerged as vital tools in industries such as petrochemicals, power generation, and shipbuilding, thanks to their ability to operate on vertical surfaces. 

Among their core components, magnetic wheels stand out for their high stability, strong load-bearing capacity, and adaptability, pushing the industry toward greater efficiency and safety.

When paired with wheeled or tracked drive systems, they enable the robot to move with agility.
--Strong load capacity: For example, our standard magnetic wheel (model KMW160) can provide up to 2940N of vertical pulling force, making it suitable for heavy-duty operations.
--Adaptation to complex surfaces: Optimized designs allow magnetic wheels to conform to various curved steel surfaces such as those found on ships and storage tanks.
--Low energy consumption: With no need for constant vacuuming, they reduce energy usage and extend the operating time of the robot.


Application Cases of Magnetic Wheels in Wall-Climbing Robots：
1)Shipbuilding and Maintenance
The WRobot series developed by the Guangdong Academy of Sciences' Institute of Intelligent Manufacturing utilizes magnetic wheel technology and can carry loads exceeding 50 kg.  It has performed exceptionally in tasks like hull welding and rust removal.
2)Wind and Nuclear Power Inspection
Magnetic wheel wall-climbing robots are used for non-destructive testing (NDT) of wind turbine towers and nuclear pressure vessels.  A model developed by Shandong University of Science and Technology has demonstrated stable climbing on vertical and cylindrical walls during factory tests, improving inspection efficiency and reducing manual risks.
3)Petrochemical Tank Maintenance
In tasks like flaw detection and painting of large storage tanks, magnetic wall-climbing robots offer a safer and more efficient alternative to manual labor.  For example, robots from Portugal's OmniClimbers use specially designed magnetic wheels to adapt to varying curvatures and magnetic properties of steel surfaces.


Future Development Trends
With continued advances in materials science and magnetic circuit optimization, magnetic wheel technology is evolving toward being lighter, more powerful, and smarter:
Material Innovation: The use of high-performance neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets increases magnetic force density while reducing volume and weight.
Conclusion the maturation of magnetic wheel technology is providing critical support for the application of wall-climbing robots in hazardous and challenging operational scenarios.  
With the continuous advancement of modern industry and intelligent manufacturing, magnetic wheels are expected to be applied in more industries and become an important part of professional service robots.