Polyjointed robot with integrated laser beam
Abstract
The focused laser power beam is a thermal tool able to make clean cuts of metallic structures without introducing stresses in the workpiece. The amount of drosses produced is much smaller than for another tool. These properties are interesting to use the laser tool in hostile environments encounte-red in nuclear dismantling operations. In this specific application, it is necessary to take into account the constraints of the nuclear environment : radiations, confinment, aerosol products ; as also the technolo-gical laser constraints : transportation of the laser beam, crossing of the hot-cell wall, cutting of 3D structures. The first constraint is this of a remote work. We have been lead to develop a specific tool. This tool consists in five axis arm, slim enough to be introduced in a 10 inches diameter hole. The total length is 1.70 m, therefore the slenderness is very high compared with the weight (22 Kg). In this paper we present the technical elements of this laser robot : mechanical structures, articulations, actuators, beam handling system, nozzle cutting head and the robot controller. We give the first results obtained with this tool on different kind of workpieces in a non-active environment. This work is a cooperative programm with the Commission of the European Community (ROLD project).