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Home › Projects › Vision-Based Cleaning of Complex Structures with a Lightweight Compliant Arm

Vision-Based Cleaning of Complex Structures with a Lightweight Compliant Arm

Background

This project centered on the development of a robotic system for surface treatment in a confined space. Once fully developed, ARM Members are able to leverage the software modules to enhance existing robotic systems with advanced manipulation capabilities. The modularity of the delivered software will enable future derivatives such as standalone visual inspection, generic surface treatments, advanced surface treatment, 3D mapping in confined spaces, and more. 

Objective

Develop a robotic system for surface treatment in confined spaces.

Technical Approach

This project leverages a modular, long-reach and compliant robotic manipulator that NREC developed for Airbus while developing a stabilization module and end effectors. Success of the final project will focus on the following objectives:

  • Assess effect of perception feedback on compensating real-world error sources
  • Assess ability to control the forces when interacting with the environment and its effect in successful surface treatment
  • Demonstrate that developed software can inspect a mock-up fuel tank successfully, identifying sources of contamination
  • Demonstrate that a developed system enables a lightweight robot arm to remove contamination through forceful surface treatment in a mock-up fuel tank

Participants

Carnegie Mellon University, Airbus, Harmonic Drive

Project Type

Technology

Advisor Robot

Agile and Reconfigurable Robotic Designs

Artificial Intelligence

Flexible Sensors and Integration

Flexible Tooling and End Effectors

Inspection

Modular Robotic Designs

Self-Aware and Adaptive Systems

Surface Finishing

Path Planning

Virtual Modeling

Year Completed

2017

2020

Project Team

Harmonic Drive

Airbus

Principle Investigator

Carnegie Mellon University

ARM Institute

The ARM Institute is a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and is part of the Manufacturing USA® network.

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