The VEX Magnetic Climbing Robot was designed to demonstrate how a simple robot could accomplish the technical challenge of climbing a metallic surface.  There are numerous commercial applications for this type of robot.  Oil refineries must inspect the inside of their storage containers.  iRobot has had great commercial success with their Roomba Vacuuming robot as well as their numerous other cleaning robots.  A robot capable of cleaning or inspecting metallic surfaces of oil tanks, buildings, water towers, and arenas would be commercially valuable.

Magbot 1 uses (4) Neodymium Rare Earth Magnets attached to lever arms positioned just below the axles of the robot.  These powerful magnets provide the necessary adhesion to firmly attach the robot to the climbing surface.  The magnetic adhesion itself is not sufficient to allow the robot to climb.  The magnets are attached to the robot chassis with tensioned lever arms.  These lever arms generate the force necessary on the wheels to provide adequate traction for climbing.  During initial testing it was determined that excessive tension on the lever arms led to an inappropriate reduction of the magnetic surface adhesion.  The reduction in magnetic surface adhesion led to gravity induced structural deformation of the robot on several occasions.