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Design and motion analysis of load-carrying and transmit robot (LCT-Robot) for small openings

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Abstract

This paper proposes a Load-carrying and transmit robot (LCT-Robot), which is based on a novel modular joint, for the purpose of telemaintenance of the Tokamak First wall (FW). The LCT-Robot, which is installed on a Multipurpose transport cask (MTC) and plays the role of transmitting and load-carrying, has the adaptability to several of maintenance tasks by carrying different types of micro-robots. The transmission mechanism of LCT-Robot modular joint and structural “lightweight” design is comprehensively considered through establishing the geometric parameter constraint equations related to Tokamak FW. It can steadily provide the ability of long-distance transmitting and performs maintenance tasks when the weight of the micro-robot is changed. Without any gravity compensation, the LCT-robot equipped with ordinary drive motor can bear a wide range of load. It not only satisfies the higher load, but also enhances the efficiency of the drive motor. For avoiding frequent acceleration and deceleration of the LCT-robot, the entire process through small openings from the placement state (0-state) to the flattened state (3-state) is analyzed and the effective translational distance of MTC is confirmed. As a result, experiment verifies the effectiveness of the LCT-robot, which has a length of 2.95 meters and can smoothly pass through small openings (Width: 200 mm, Height: 250 mm).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Pengfei Wang & Qixin Cao

  2. Research Institute of Robotics, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Pengfei Wang & Qixin Cao

Authors
  1. Pengfei Wang
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  2. Qixin Cao
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pengfei Wang.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Kyoungchul Kong

Pengfei Wang is currently a Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. His research interest includes configuration synthesis of hybrid robot and dynamic parameter optimization.

Qixin Cao is currently a professor of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. His main research interest includes machine vision and patern recognition, intelligent robot and modular technology, intelligent maintenance and internet of things.

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Wang, P., Cao, Q. Design and motion analysis of load-carrying and transmit robot (LCT-Robot) for small openings. J Mech Sci Technol 30, 2283–2291 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-016-0437-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-016-0437-6

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