Forces Analysis on Robotics Screwing Tasks

This paper describes the experiments carried out to understand the use of robotic tools for screw-driving tasks. First, the bolting tasks are described; following, several tests using a tool with external fingers to mitigate the torque in the robot’s joints are analyzed to get the forces and torqued involved; finally, some experiments show the results obtained by combining robot control strategies with the design of specific tools for each task using the external tool. The main conclusion of this work is that high screwing torques can be achieved, with low torques in the joints of the robot, when the tool is designed appropriately to the bolting components and an efficient combination of position and force control modes are implemented on the robot. The origin of this study is related to the maintenance tasks to be performed in the future International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility – Demo Oriented Neutron Source (IFMIF-DONES) facility, where operating bolts using robots is a key aspect.