SBIR-STTR Award

The design concept High Capacity Precision Arm (HCPA) exceeds all current munitions payload handling design specifications. The design concept enables single operator ordnance loading to the F-22 internal weapons bays with all payload doors in the open configuration. A virtual prototyping model of the HCPA provides simulation modeling and analysis of the robotic arm in key munitions handling missions. The HCPA is controlled during the simulation with a prototype Supervisory/Automation Controller that provides munitions/mission specific handling qualities tailoring and safety monitoring functions. Full scale actuator tests shall be conducted to provide key friction modeling and static torque holding data needed in drive subsystem design optimization. A virtual handling qualities assessment tool enables expert munitions handlers to subjectively assess handling qualities of the baseline HCPA in a virtual visualization environment.

Keywords:
Virtual Prototyping, Robotic Arm, Lead Screw, Handling Qualities, Safety Of Operation, Friction, Supervisory Control, Manual Control

The HCRA is a high capacity robotic arm mounted on a modified MHU-83 mobility unit. Through simulation, the design has demonstrated munitions loadout to: 1) The lower weapons bay of the F/A-22 and 2) Station A-35 of the Conventional Bomb Module of the B-1B. The HCRA features nine (9) joints controlled in realtime by a pseudo-inverse based steering controller running on a cPCI PowerPC processor. The controller co-ordinates the movement of all nine (9) joints to realize the commanded response at the end effecter. The HCRA supports loading to the F/A-22 lower weapons bay by: 1) A linear slider assembly that provides up to 51 inches of reach, 2) An elbow pitch joint, 3) A wrist pitch joint. The elbow pitch and wrist pitch joints are housed in a common fore-arm assembly. The elbow pitch joint has a 27,000 Ft-Lbf static control moment capability and provides the dexterous reach necessary to load to the F/A-22. However, when the elbow pitch joint is retracted, the drive mechanism of this joint is protected by the surrounding fore-arm stator housing. Consequently heavy (7,000 Lbm) payload handling tasks, including fork adapter based tasks, can be carried out without damaging the dexterous elbow joint.

Keywords:
Robotics, Munitions Loader, Null Space Control, Re