Neutral Buoyancy Design to Underwater Manipulator

In order to improve the control performance of the underwater manipulator and significantly reduce drive torque required for joints, the problem that how to carry out whole arm neutral buoyancy design economically and efficiently is researched and solved. Methods Starting from the aspects of balancing goals, the selection of design schemes, load balancing, arm balancing, and joints balancing, an integrated shaping balancing method is proposed. Conclusion By combining methods such as virtual decoupling, adjusting the buoyancy center to match the center of gravity, virtual adjacent joint spaces, and integrated shaping process, buoyancy and gravity of each component are in equilibrium. Therefore, regardless of how the posture of the underwater manipulator changes, its buoyancy center and gravity center relative positions coincide and maintain the neutral buoyancy state. From balance design simulation, underwater component balance testing, to whole arm motion testing, the results all indicate that the balance method of wrapping buoyancy modules is effective, in line with economic and efficient principles, and achieves the excepted goals. The underwater manipulator has been put into use, with stable control performance and successfully completed the underwater support task during the construction period of the space station.