Development of the Operator Controlled Crack Sealing Machine The Long Reach Arm and Control Unit

摘要

Annually, governments spend millions of taxpayers dollars maintaining a highway infrastructure that is continually growing as we near the 21st century. In order to maintain this vast infrastructure, highway workers put their lives on the line each day, subjecting themselves to the ever-present threat of inattentive drivers. The Advanced Highway Maintenance and Technology (AHMCT) Center, of the University of California, Davis, has developed numerous machines aimed at increasing the productivity, quality and safety of highway maintenance operations. This report presents work leading towards the development of the first prototype Operator Controlled Crack Sealing Machine (OCCSM). This has included component subsystems as well as numerous critical machine components. The R-q telescopic manipulator arm is discussed in detail from its concept phase through its detailed design, testing and test conclusions. Additionally, the camera boom system and the hose retraction systems designs are presented in detail. The machine's controller is also presented in detail, and the R-q telescopic manipulator arm is integrated with the controller to provide a complete system operational in the AHMCT Robotics Laboratory. This system will be moved to the OCCSM support vehicle for use on actual highways in the next phase of the project. The most important aspects of this phase were the design and fabrication of the R-q Telescopic Manipulator, the development of the controller, and the integration of the two systems.