Adaptive Tooling Interface for Subsea Vehicle Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ROV tools are not optimal for hydrodynamic vehicles like subsea drones, requiring a lightweight and versatile tooling interface to reduce power consumption and maintain vehicle balance while ensuring adaptability for future tooling technologies.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive tooling interface with integrated motors, a drive interface, and a tooling adapter that provides power and communication to various tools, featuring a latch mechanism for secure tool attachment and detachment, and a self-balancing system to maintain vehicle stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional ROV tools are used on hydrodynamic vehicles, then tool handling capability is maintained, but power consumption increases and vehicle balance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The tooling interface is designed with a universal adapter that can accommodate multiple tool types and configurations. The adapter includes standardized mounting features, power connections, and control interfaces that work with various subsea tools, eliminating the need for vehicle-specific tooling systems and reducing overall power consumption while maintaining versatility.
2Device complexity
If conventional ROV manipulators are used, then tool handling is achieved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tooling interface is divided into separate modular components including the adapter, mounting mechanism, power connection, and control interface. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall system by eliminating the need for complex integrated manipulators, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a lightweight tooling interface is implemented, then power consumption is reduced, but adaptability to future tooling technologies may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The tooling interface incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable features that allow it to adapt to future tooling technologies. The adapter includes adjustable mounting positions, reconfigurable power connections, and programmable control interfaces that can be updated via software, ensuring long-term adaptability without requiring a complete system replacement and maintaining low power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
An adaptive tooling interface comprises a plurality of motors, disposed at least partially within a housing, which are operatively in communication with a controller and where a first power output is operatively in communication with a first motor of the plurality of motors and a second power output operatively in communication with a second motor of the plurality of motors. A drive interface, comprising a tooling adapter, is operatively in communication with the plurality of motors and configured to mate with and provide power to one or more tools, which comprise a matching subsea tool tooling interface, via the first power output and the second power output. The adaptive tooling interface may be connected to or otherwise integrated into a subsea vehicle system comprising a subsea vehicle.