Experiment for attaching performance of a fan and vacuum pad on grooved vertical concrete walls

In order to measure attaching performance of the fan and vacuum pad from concrete wall surface, test apparatuses measuring suction force of them were developed. Using these test apparatuses, four types of concrete wall specimens were tested to measure the attaching force. The test apparatuses consisted of a pneumatic cylinder, a load cell, and sensors for vacuum pressure. Surface samples with concrete material were manufactured as four different shapes that is flat, step, rib, and embossing type. Then, attaching forces of the fan and vacuum pad were measured as changing specimen types and the vacuum pressure of the pad, and the rotation speed of the fan. In case of the fan, test result shows that the suction force is proportional to the fan speed, and interestingly, the suction force is almost independent of the specimen shapes. In case of the vacuum pad, the attaching force is almost steady though varying vacuum pressure excepting flat surface. The vacuum pad might be more affected than the fan according to surface shapes.