Preliminary Concept Modelling, Evaluation and Selection of Robotic Arm for Light Lifting Application

Hazardous environments gave a big challenge for the human to accomplish the desired tasks, especially in sampling and collecting materials either for securing the locality or research purposes. Hence, teleoperated robots with robotic arms have been proposed to execute any tasks that appointed. However, most robotic arms on the teleoperated robots only serve specific tasks and have no ability to retract arm with precise and smooth movement, which will compromise its functionality. In this paper, five designs of robotic arms were proposed with different mechanisms for its retractions. Evaluation and selection for the final design was decided based on the decision-making process for all designs. Considering important criterion, evaluation was performed using concept scoring. All concept designs were modelled and analysed in SolidWorks. Load was applied on the end effector of robotic arm to observe Von Mises criteria of designed arms. Both methods indicate that design 5 with linear motor mechanism has the best endurance and thus, chosen as the most suitable design to be mounted on the track vehicle.