TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials/Processes

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMW 770 Submarine Communications Program ACAT IV

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to develop a small agile robot for re-coating the slender galvanized steel lattice structure of tall slender antenna towers. The cross-sectional shape of these towers is typically a square or triangle, measuring about 12ft on a side. A standard ladder with standard safety rail typically runs the full height of the tower on the inside face of one side. The robot should be able to paint all interior and exterior surfaces of all steel members of the tower, while working from the ladder inside the tower

DESCRIPTION: The typical tower is a collection of millions of structural angles in a very repetitive pattern stretching high into the sky. For a human painter, this repetition is very boring, dangerous and problematic. For a robotic painter, this repetition is very desirable, safe and exploitable. The newest generation paint robots are small and agile. These robots could be modified to use the standard safety rail and ladder on a tall tower as a reliable path to climb and paint the tower. Ideally, the robot should prepare surface to be painted with a high pressure water jet on its way up and then paint the tower with a paint sprayer on its way down. The robot should be able to focus its paint on each and every slender structural angle, thus minimizing paint waste.

PHASE I: Develop a conceptual design for an agile robot that can re-coat tall slender lattice�frame towers of constant cross-section. The robot must have "feet" for traveling up and down the tower ladder/rail, "hands" for reaching/re-coating all interior/exterior surfaces and "eyes" for verifying quality of the coating. Extension/modification of an existing commercially available robot is encouraged.

PHASE II: Develop a detailed design for the robot. Develop the "intelligence" software for the robot to learn the repetitive pattern of any given tall tower. Build a prototype of the robot, using as many off-the shelf components as possible.

PHASE III: Test the prototype robot on a slender tower with constant cross-section of acceptable height. Assess the efficiency of the robot in its ability to re-coat all surfaces on the tower.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Commercial business for re-coating tall towers is potentially large, given the thousands of telecommunications towers across the world that need regular re-coating for structural corrosion control and/or for general aircraft safety per FAA obstruction marking requirements.

REFERENCES:
1. UFGS-09910, Unified Facilities Guide Specifications, Division 09 � Finishes, Section 09910, Maintenance, Repair, and Coating of Tall Antenna Towers, August 2004

2. MRP-3000, Small-Sized Paint Robot, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.mhi.co.jp/sanki/sanki_j/topix/03/030617.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3DMitsubishi%2BMRP-3000%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26rls%3DGGLD,GGLD:2003-47,GGLD:en.

KEYWORDS: Robotics; Painting; Guyed Tower; Antenna; Coatings

TPOC: Robert Zueck
Phone: (805)982-1210
Fax: (805)982-3481
Email: [email protected]

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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