ROBOTIC TELESCOPIC ARM VISUAL AND ULTRASONIC INSPECTION SYSTEM

THIS PHASE I RESEARCH PROJECT PROPOSES TO DESIGN A REMOTELY CONTROLLED TELESCOPIC ARM EQUIPPED WITH AN END EFFECTOR CAPABLE OF PERFORMING VISUAL AND ULTRASONIC INSPECTION OF TANK INTERNALS. A VERTICAL GUIDE SHAFT WOULD BE INSERTED INTO THE TANK THROUGH A STANDARD DECK OPENING. THE TELESCOPIC ARM WOULD BE DRIVEN ALONG THE AXIS OF THE VERTICAL GUIDE BY A PNEUMATIC MOTOR. PNEUMATIC MOTORS WOULDALSO ROTATE THE ARM ABOUT THE VERTICAL GUIDE FOR ANGULAR ORIENTATION AND WOULD ACTUATE A RACK AND PINION MECHANISM TOEXTEND AND RETRACT THE TELESCOPING ARM FOR LATERAL ORIENTATION. THE OPTICAL END EFFECTOR WOULD TRANSMIT VISUALIMAGES TO AN ABOVE DECKS CONSOLE THROUGH FIBER OPTIC CABLE ENCLOSED WITHIN THE ARM. ULTRASONIC DATA WOULD BE TRANSMITTED IN A SIMILAR MANNER. COMPUTER SOFTWARE WOULD CONTROL THE ORIENTATION OF THE ARM. SENSORS OR LASERS WOULDPROVIDE SIGNALS TO THE CONSOLE SOFTWARE IDENTIFYING THE ORIENTATION OF THE END EFFECTOR. INSPECTION DATA WOULD BE STORED ON VIDEO TAPE AND FLOPPY DISK. THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WOULD BE PORTABLE REQUIRING THREE PERSONS FOR ASSEMBLY/DISSASSEMBLY AND ONE PERSON FOR OPERATION RESULTINGIN SAVINGS OF UP TO 90% OVER CONVENTIONAL TANK INSPECTION.