Self-traveling robotic system for autonomous abrasive blast cleaning in double-hulled structures of ships

The aim of this paper is to propose the design, simulation, manufacture, and experimental validation of a new robotic system for fully automated blast cleaning in the double-hulled block. The entire robotic system consists of a new type of manipulator for the blast cleaning of the entire transverse web floors, and a specially developed 6-dof RRX mobile platform for self-traveling within the application area. The full cross section of the robotic system should be small enough to be placed inside the double-hulled structure, via a conventional access hole of 600 x 800-mm, from the outside shipyard floor. Moreover, the maximum height of the structures has a range of, typically, 2-m to 3-m, and the robotic platform is able to be located on the longitudinal stiffeners at a height range from 400-mm to 800-mm. Thus, the investigation of a customized manipulator, having a bi-directional stroke in order to approach the upper sections, is a most worthwhile subject in the automation of the shipbuilding process since such a system should be capable of carrying out continuous blast cleaning from the upper to the lower sections at one time, without the need for any additional operations. Throughout the field testing, significant results have been obtained. indicating that the new proposed system can successfully perform continuous blast cleaning for the entire transverse web floor and the longitudinal stiffeners without any dynamical instability of the robot platform. Proposed robotic platform, will bring great benefits to ship yard automation. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.