HIGH PERFORMANCE LIGHTWEIGHT MANIPULATOR FEASIBILITY STUDY

A MANIPULATOR DESIGN IS PROPOSED WHICH USES ADVANCED MATERIALS AND CONTROL TECHNIQUES TO ACHIEVE PERFORMANCE FAR SUPERIOR TO THAT OF CONVENTIONAL MANIPULATORS. PRELIMINARY STUDIES INDICATE THAT A MANIPULATOR CAN BE DESIGNED WITH A USEFUL LOAD CAPACITY OF 100 KILOGRAMS, A USEFUL REACH OF 2.5 METERS, AND END-EFFECTOR SPEED OF AT LEAST 5 METERS/SEC, AND A WEIGHT OF LESS THAN 500 KILOGRAMS. THE DESIGN MAKESUSE OF END-EFFECTOR FEEDBACK CONTROL OF A COMPLIANT STRUCTURE TO REDUCE WEIGHT. HYBRID HYDRAULIC/HYDROSTATIC ACTUATION PROVIDES AMPLE POWER AND SPEED WITH GOOD ENERGY EFFICIENCY. COMPOSITE MATERIALS ARE USED IN AREAS WHERE HIGH STIFFNESS IS ESSENTIAL. THE OBJECTIVE OF THEPHASE I EFFORT IS TO ESTABLISH THE FEASIBILITY OF ALL THE TECHNOLOGIESREQUIRED TO ACHIEVE THE STATED PERFORMANCE. DESIGN STUDIES WILL BE PERFORMED IN THE AREAS OF CONTROL, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS, KINEMATICS, AND MECHANICAL STRUCTURES. A PRELIMINARY DESIGN FOR A HIGH PERFORMANCE MANIPULATOR WILL BE COMPLETED.