Robotic conveyance of artillery projectiles for remote ammunition resupply operations

The U.S. Army`s Project Manager, Advanced Field Artillery System/Future Armored Resupply Vehicle has given Oak Ridge National Laboratory the task of developing a robotic conveyance system which will provide automated artillery ammunition transfer. This technology is currently being developed and will be demonstrated in the summer of 1995. This paper describes the development of an ammunition transfer arm to date. The arm consists of three sections and 6 D.F. which will allow the Future Armored Resupply Vehicle to dock and mate with the Advanced Field Artillery System on terrain varying from {+-}10{degrees} in pitch, yaw, and roll and will allow for alignment of the fuel and propellant transfer ports. This arm will deliver the ammunition to the AFAS, where it will be received by an automatic handling and storage system inside the AFAS

The laboratory telerobotic manipulator program

New opportunities for the application of telerobotic systems to enhance human intelligence and dexterity in the hazardous environment of space are presented by the NASA Space Station Program. Because of the need for significant increases in extravehicular activity and the potential increase in hazards associated with space programs, emphasis is being heightened on telerobotic systems research and development. The Laboratory Telerobotic Manipulator (LTM) program is performed to develop and demonstrate ground-based telerobotic manipulator system hardware for research and demonstrations aimed at future NASA applications. The LTM incorporates traction drives, modularity, redundant kinematics, and state-of-the-art hierarchical control techniques to form a basis for merging the diverse technological domains of robust, high-dexterity teleoperations and autonomous robotic operation into common hardware to further NASA's research

Telerobotic manipulator developments for ground-based space research

New opportunities for the application of telerobotic systems to enhance human intelligence and dexterity in the hazardous environment of space are presented by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Station Program. Because of the need for significant increases in extravehicular activity and the potential increase in hazards associated with space programs, emphasis is being heightened on telerobotic systems research and development. The Automation Technology Branch at NASA Langley Research Center currently is sponsoring the Laboratory Telerobotic Manipulator (LTM) program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop and demonstrate ground-based telerobotic manipulator system hardware for research and demonstrations aimed at future NASA applications. The LTM incorporates traction drives, modularity, redundant kinematics, and state-of-the-art hierarchical control techniques to form a basis for merging the diverse technological domains of robust, high-dexterity teleoperations and autonomous robotic operation into common hardware to further NASA's research

Use of the Modified Light Duty Utility Arm to Perform Nuclear Waste Cleanup of Underground Waste Storage Tanks at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The Modified Light Duty Utility Arm (MLDUA) is a selectable seven or eight degree-of-freedom robot arm with a 16.5 ft (5.03 m) reach and a payload capacity of 200 lb. (90.72 kg). The utility arm is controlled in either joystick-based telerobotic mode or auto sequence robotics mode. The MLDUA deployment system deploys the utility arm vertically into underground radioactive waste storage tanks located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. These tanks are constructed of gunite material and consist of two 25 ft (7.62 m) diameter tanks in the North Tank Farm and six 50 ft (15.24 m) diameter tanks in the South Tank Farm. After deployment inside a tank, the utility arm reaches and grasps the confined sluicing end effecter (CSEE) which is attached to the hose management arm (HMA). The utility arm positions the CSEE within the tank to allow the HMA to sluice the tank's liquid and solid waste from the tank. The MLDUA is used to deploy the characterization end effecter (CEE) and gunite scarifying end effecter (GSEE) into the tank. The CEE is used to survey the tank wall's radiation levels and the physical condition of the walls. The GSEE is used to scarify the tank walls with high-pressure water to remove the wall scale buildup and a thin layer of gunite which reduces the radioactive contamination that is embedded into the gunite walls. The MLDUA is also used to support waste sampling and wall core-sampling operations. Other tools that have been developed for use by the MLDUA include a pipe-plugging end effecter, pipe-cutting end effecter, and pipe-cleaning end effecter. Washington University developed advance robotics path control algorithms for use in the tanks. The MLDUA was first deployed in June 1997 and has operated continuously since then. Operational experience in the first four tanks remediated is presented in this paper

ABSTRACT SYSTEM REVIEW OF THE MODIFIED LIGHT DUTY UTILITY ARM AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE NUCLEAR WASTE REMOVAL FROM SEVEN UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS AT

The Modified Light Duty Utility Arm (MLDUA) is a custom seven-degree-of-freedom long-reach manipulator system developed, designed, and built by SPAR Aerospace, Ltd. The MLDUA was delivered to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in November 1996. After operational tests and training cold tests, the MLDUA was moved to the first underground tank (W-3) in May 1997. After the completion of tank W-3, the MLDUA was used in cleanup operations of six other underground tanks, in this order, tanks W-4, W-6, W-7, W-10, W-8, and finally on tank W-9. Tank W-9 was completed in September 2000. Tanks W-3 and W-4 are 25-foot diameter tanks and the other five tanks are 50-foot diameter tanks. The MLDUA was deployed only in one tank riser for the 25-foot tanks. For the 50-foot tanks, the MLDUA was deployed in either two or four tank risers. The MLDUA performed the following types of operations in support of the underground tank waste cleanup operations: grasping the sluicer to allow deployment of the Hose Management Arm (HMA) into the tanks, holding and maneuvering the sluicer to remove tank water and waste material, tank wall radiation surveys, tank wall material sample collection, tank wall cleaning operations with high-pressure water jets, vertical pipe cutting operations, pipe plugging operations and support for tank wall coring operations. The MLDUA performed exceptionally well considering it is a one-of-akind long-reach manipulator prototype design. The MLDUA operations included over 7400 hours of in-tank exposure to radiation fields with an estimated total dose of 77,000 rads. Total working time within the tanks was over 2250 hours. While the MLDUA performed exceptionally well, a relatively few problems developed during tank cleanup operations. The most serious problem that develop..

Gunite and Associated Tanks Treatability Study Equipment Testing at the Tanks Technology Cold Test Facility February 2000

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