TECHNICAL PRODUCTS, INC.
The objective of Phase II of this program is the fielding of a universal cutting tool that will interface with any of the existing common EOD robots such as the Andros series, Talon, Pacbot and Vanguard. The system will be designed to fit with others as well such as the Pedsco, Mesa and Telerob systems, however these are far fewer in number and kits will probably be offered only as an option. The only real need for external control will be wheel selection, the feed rates and on/off. The system is designed with a passive and independent force feedback control loop that balances the cutter wheel rotational speed as a function of current draw (which in turn is related to the resistance of the material and the feed rate) to prevent jamming. Auxiliary positioning can be achieved by additional tilt and translation linear motors as an option and the necessity for this feature will be determined during field trials. Most robot arms do not have a linear feed mechanism and act off of pivot points which result in arced movement of the robotic arm tip. Linear actuation can be incorporated for those models that require it.