Research on lightweight design and control method of the front claw of intelligent transportation robots

Based on topology optimization, a lightweight design for an intelligent transport robot's front claw, capable of automatic opening, closing, and slight deflection, was developed. The front claw was 3D printed using a 40% fill rate and polyester resin material, addressing the issues of the robot's slippage and line-tracking speed. ANSYS analysis was used to study the stiffness of the front claw, examining the deformation amount and positions in the Y and Z directions, and overall deformation for the front claws and support connecting rods made from ABS and polyester resin in both open and closed states. The deformation amounts in the Z direction and overall, with and without gravity, were compared, validating the stability and effectiveness of the front claw driven by rack and pinion engagement under various conditions, and confirming that the ABS connecting rod deformation meets the requirements for sensor functionality. The motor and servo linkage achieved motion control of the front claw. Through multiple tests, including opening claw backward rotation, slight deflection during opening and closing, stable line-tracking with an open claw, and black frame stability tests, it was repeatedly verified that the front claw of the intelligent transport robot meets the enterprise requirements for transporting a Rubik's cube from any position to the target area.