Long Reach Robotic Arm

Abstract

The Accelerator Division at Fermilab began a robotics program, known as the AD Robotics Initiative. A multi-axis robotic arm was proposed to be included in the program. This summer internship, our team began the planning and design for this project, called the Long Reach Robotic Arm. The problem is that critical systems around the magnets require analysis when water leaks cause them to fail. However, the tightly compacted parts and the quadrupole magnet, weighing approximately 1,000 pounds, cause access viewing problems. The process of having to dismantle and remove the magnet is time-consuming; it is not an efficient solution. The goal for the Long Reach Robotic Arm was to extend and reach behind the component of the Main Injector while "snaking" around and avoiding obstructions. At the start of the project, my teammate, Amanda Hoeksema, and I coded a program in the C language that will determine the number of links and their respective lengths for the robot arm. After, we began the 3D CAD model of the robot arm, base, and counterweight system. The design of the Long Reach Robotic Arm provided a learning experience in learning how to code in the C programming language, using SDL libraries and understanding mechanical engineering.