Background Information

Background Information:

The mechanical arm makes up the essential part of the ROV. The SeaPerch challenge requires the team to pick up and move plastic rings from one location to a designated location. The mechanical, designed to pick up the plastic rings and put them into the designated location, attaches itself to the body of the ROV for a sturdy platform. The mechanical arm operates seperatley from the pilot of the ROV to give more accurate movement for the ROV and the mechanical arm. The location will take place at the Neptune aquatic center.

The underwater ROV serves a very large range of people as potential users. Students at the Marine Academy of Science and Technology are the first group of people that will be testing this particular ROV. Future investors in the underwater ROV include underwater research companies, like those who searched the titanic, or those that take samples of rocks or other materials from the bottom of the ocean. Gas companies, like BP, may also use the ROV for fixing leaks the company may have in an underwater oil rig. Some other individuals users are possible for a project like the ROV, but unlikely. These individual users would include underwater research as well.

A topic such as this should be addressed due to the severity of some of the problems the ROV can solve. One of the major problems people may think of when it comes to underwater situations that can harm the environment is the BP oil leak. The longer the oil leak lasts, the more wild life will be damaged or killed. The underwater ROV object gives a solution to the problem of sealing the oil leak. The ROV will be able to bring down anything that would be needed to stop the leak and use the mechanical arm to fix the leak while cameras give live stream videos to the navigator. 

Stakeholders are any people that would be in need of an underwater ROV to solve their problem that has arisen to the company. As explained earlier, one company that gives a prime example of a potential situation that would need an underwater ROV is BP Gasoline. After the accident in the Gulf of Mexico, BP would need a way to solve that problem faster if the problem ever arose to the company. BP would become a stakeholder if BP came to us with a problem and asked us to make an ROV that would help fix the problem.

The ROV gives off a particular mood when examining or using one. The mood given off would range between somewhat of an adventurous mood and a research mood. The adventurous mood comes from the idea that the ROV goes placed that humans can't go due to the immense pressure in the deeper underwater environments. While in these environments, much research would be going on due to the fact that it will probably be the first time eyes will see the particular are. The ROV gives off this feel for those particular reasons.

Design Brief:

Individual: Design and produce the mechanical claw system for a fully submersible remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to complete various underwater tasks as needed, without sending humans underwater.

Team: Design and produce a fully submersible remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to complete various underwater tasks as needed, without sending humans underwater.

Specifications:

The design must:

1. maintain a waterproofing throughout the task.
2. pick up the plastic rings for the task.
3. Move fluently and properly during the task.

Limitations:

Specification one must:

1. be made of stainless steel, PVC, or galvanized metal.
2. include joints secured with rubber or filling where leaks may occur.

Specification two must:

1. have claw size that fits around the plastic ring.
2. be able to let go of the object without drastically changing its course.

Specification three must:

1. maintain a waterproof state.
2. not rust or corrode during the task.
3. respond properly to the navigator or claw operator's input movement.

Testing Procedures For Claw:

·        ·         Make sure the claw attaches properly to the body
·         Move primary joint to check if the joint functions properly
·         Move secondary joint to check if the joint functions properly
·         Move the third (360) joint to check if the joint functions properly
·         Open and close the claw to test if the claw fully opens and closes properly
·         Attempt to pick up an object to check if the claw functions properly together.

      

Testing Procedures:

• Before placing ROV in the testing area, begin checking electronic features
• Turn on camera and arm
• Check to make sure live video feed is properly functioning to monitors
• Ensure wiring is secure to umbilical and cameras
• Begin moving arm using remote control
• Clench and loosen arm to mimic holding an object underwater
• Turn on propulsion systems
• Lightly begin rotating all rotor blades
• Ensure all electronics and wiring are securely fastened to ROV
•  Place ROV in water
•  Have one team mate watch screens to ensure live video still functions
•  Once ROV is in the water, begin checking propulsion and arm via remote control
•  Clench and unclench arm multiple times underwater
•  Slightly steer ROV in every direction to check steering and propulsion
•  Check elevation steering
•  Begin mission 

Research:

Focus Groups: Focus groups are an important part of a design process. Research groups look for what is necessary in order to have success in a design. For an ROV, a research group would be looking for the ROV to be waterproof, to work, for the driver to be able to see, and for the ROV to complete the task the ROV is set out to accomplish. Focus groups are a good failsafe strategy so a designer does not miss any flaws that would be in the design of the ROV.

User Profiling – personas: There are many groups of people that would use a ROV. These groups include the military, deep sea explorers, and ocean engineers. The reason these groups of people use ROVs are because of their abilities to travel in places where humans cannot go. This gives us the ability to complete tasks and find things we normally could not if we went down ourselves.

Direct Observations: This part of a research process is very important due to the fact that these are hands on and first hand observations of the design. Direct observations will tell the designer what people see in the ROV such as what is wrong with the design, what is going right with the design, etc.

Competition Forums: These forums are used to compare the different designs that are used and put in place throughout different ROV projects. These forums can give designers good insight into how to make their ROVs better in their response time, effectiveness, and reliability.

Contextual Inquiry: This is a one-on-one interaction between a user and the ROV. These interactions will help the designer see how a user controls the ROV. This will reveal any problems a user would have navigating the ROV, using the mechanical arm, or even seeing where the ROV is going using the visual aid systems.

Research Related to Past Solutions:

The problems that arose for the mechanical arm’s past solutions included things like waterproofing, part failures, weight, and length. To overcome the waterproofing dilemma, watertight seals were put into place on joints and in the area where wires went to the motor which controlled them. The waterproofing problem also stemmed into part failure because the water would rust out regular bolts and screws. To fix that, screws that would not rust such as galvanized screws, were put in as replacements. For weight and length of the arm, a lighter metal was needed and a shorter arm length was needed so that the motor could move the arm quicker and easier. This helped lead to a more efficient and reliable mechanical arm.

Research Related to Alternate Solutions:

The problems that arose during the process of looking over the mechanical arm and trying to ensure its functionality came down mainly to the length of the arm. At first the arm was designed to be two feet six inches long. After talking to my team members, it came to my attention that the arm was larger than the body of the ROV. This caused a problem of instability throughout the ROV. Alternate designs showed ROVs with shorter arms that made them more compact and maneuverable. This also led to the ROV being more stable and less front heavy. The design of the arm was changed from two feet six inches long to a total of one foot in length.

Alternative Solutions:

Design I:
The first alternate solution consists of PVC material with connecting joints. The joints on this alternate solution for the arm are made of galvanized metal to prevent rusting or the malfunction of the joint on the arm. The arm consists of three joints. The main joint moves the arm in the left and right direction. The second joint moves the arm in an up and down direction for maneuverability and a reliable action. The third joint at the claw end will be a full rotational joint. The joints together will give the mechanical arm full function-ability and easy use for any operator.


Design II:
The second alternate solution consists of a stainless steel material with connecting joints. The joints in the second alternative solution are also made of stainless steel. The design includes two joints. The first joint moves the mechanical arm up, down, left, and right. The second joint moves the claw in a full rotational manner.






Design III:
The third alternate solution consists of a wood material with connecting joints. The third design has a main joint that moves the claw left, right, up, and down. The second joint moves the claw in a full rotational manner. The second joint gives the claw the ability to move rotate and pick up objects easier.



Design IV:
The fourth alternate solution consists of a PVC material with connecting joints. The fourth design has one main joint that moves the arm up and down. The second joint moves the claw in a rotational manner.

Design V:
The fifth alternate solution consists of a metal construction with one connection joint moving the arm in an up and down motion. The arm also consists of a two pronged claw that opens and closes for easy and efficient use.

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