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We are Tube Traversers INC and this was our take on the CNL design challenge! They tasked us to create a tool which can traverse 15ft into a tube and remove a 30mg-80mg sample from the steel tubing with the purpose of finding an alternative method to testing tubes in nuclear energy facilities. 

Our project prioritized simplicity over complexity. We decided on a telescoping rod with a arduino controlled motorized burr which analyzes the sample removed using a built in weight sensor which notifies the user if the desired weight of sampling has been removed. This was our vision at least, however due to budgeting we were able to create a prototype version of this idea. \

Extension system: The telescoping rod works by a series of internally interconnected pulleys that ideally would be connected to a high torque dc motor at the user end of the tubing. We decided to simplify for sake of a demo to have a user operated crank instead however fundamentally these work the same. To retract, a separate cable would be connected to the tip (that being the opposite end of the user) to reel the rod back. Everything is self contained, preventing any outside contact with the ropes, slowing down any potential fraying that may occur over using the product

Collection system: The collection system we decided on was quite robust. Essentially, a 12V dc motor connected to an arduino would have a sharp burr bit attached and angled so that the edge is flat with the pipe wall. The arduino would receive the notification from the user to begin cutting into the wall surface, and through a coding loop maintain this until the preferred quantity of sample would be removed which would be determined by an internal weight sensor. The sample would be collected into a guided tray below the burr which then could be removed by the operator, preventing direct contact. Ideally, the operator would be able to keep multiple trays on hand and through a simple rail mechanism, switch the trays out with ease. On the user end, there would be an LED screen indicating to the operator that the preferred quantity of sampling was collected and the user can now reel back the tube. All of this ensures a safe, contact free and reliable sample collection system which prevents user error through having a predetermined code run for the user

Below you will find a sketch of how the order of the rope should be run through the pulley system as well as the necessary cut outs needed in order to build this yourself. Assembly may require extra cutouts needed in order to properly set up the tubing due to size constraints however these contain all the main cutouts required in order to set up the tube. The coding done was also attached, it may need some tweaking so use at your discretion. Finally the excel sheet attached is our bill of materials (BOM) which contains the links to everything purchased in order to make this work. Any tooling required was not included in the budget therefore may be subject to change based on equipment you have on hand.