Force‐feedback teleoperation of an industrial robot in a nuclear spent fuel reprocessing plant

Abstract

Purpose

Aims to describe how to make an industrial robot work as a telemanipulator with force feedback, in order to carry out various tasks for remote handling in nuclear fuel cycle plants.

Design/methodology/approach

The robot Staübli RX170 (used as a slave arm) has been fitted with a force‐torque sensor and an electronic system for sensors' signals multiplexing. The overall system has been made tolerant to γ radiation up to a 10 kGy integrated dose. The industrial robot has been coupled to a master arm with force feedback capability and to the computer assisted teleoperation controller TAO2000 developed by CEA‐LIST.

Findings

The result of the maintenance operation reported in the paper, carried out with a Staübli RX170 robot at AREVA/COGEMA La Hague plant, illustrates the validity of this approach and demonstrates how remote handling can benefit from this new technology.

Originality/value

Introduces the teleoperation of industrial robots as a new solution for the maintenance of nuclear facilities. Wrist force/torque sensing and advanced master‐slave controller provide the operators with a high performance teleoperation system. Only limited modification of the existing design of the industrial robot has been carried out in order to transform it into a nuclear telemanipulator.

Citation

Desbats, P., Geffard, F., Piolain, G. and Coudray, A. (2006), "Force‐feedback teleoperation of an industrial robot in a nuclear spent fuel reprocessing plant", Industrial Robot, Vol. 33 No. 3, pp. 178-186. https://doi.org/10.1108/0143991061070300