skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: A variable geometry truss manipulator for positioning large payloads

Conference ·
OSTI ID:35367
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
  2. NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA (United States)

A major thrust within the Department of Energy`s (DOE) Decontamination and Dismantling (D&D) Robotics program is the development of a Selective Equipment Removal System (SERS). SERS will consist of a mobile vehicle, a Dual-Arm Work Module (DAWM), and a deployment manipulator capable of extending the DAWM up to 6.096m (20) from the vehicle. The DAWM, built by RedZone Robotics, includes two Schilling Titan II manipulators, a unique five degree-of-freedom (DOF) module for positioning/orienting the two Schilling arms, and a massive steel backplane to maintain structural rigidity. Together with its payload, the DAWM weighs about 975 kg (2150 pounds). In order to accurately position the DAWM, the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) together with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration`s Langley Research Center (NASA LARC) are developing a deployment manipulator, which includes two double-octahedral Variable Geometry Truss (VGT) modules connected with a static truss section. The entire SERS system (Figure 1) will include the mobile vehicle, a 2-DOF base actuation system (waist rotate and pitch) with an output link approximately 2.134m (7) in length, the VGT system and the DAWM. The VGT system (Figure 2) consists of a 1.067m (42) diameter ({approximately}1.346m (53) long) base VGT, which mounts to the end of the output link of the base actuation system, a 1.524m (60) long static truss section which tapers from 1.067m (42) diameter at its base to 0.8128m (32) diameter at the end, and a 0.8128m (32) diameter ({approximately}1.0922m (43) long) tip VGT to which the DAWM is mounted. The stiffness of the VGT system is such that with the base VGT mounted to a rigid base and the VGT system oriented horizontally (worst case), the static deflection of the DAWM together with full payload will be less than 0.0254m.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
35367
Report Number(s):
PNL-SA-25387; CONF-950232-29; ON: DE95008926; TRN: 95:009044
Resource Relation:
Conference: 6. American Nuclear Society meeting on robotics and remote systems, Monterey, CA (United States), 5-10 Feb 1995; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English