S.A.Robotics

Client	Advanced Cleanup Technologies, Inc.
Facility	Los Angeles Harbor
Location	Los Angeles, CA

S.A.Robotics is in the design phase of producing the first of a number of Harbor Arms for Advanced Cleanup Technologies, Inc. The Harbor Arm Project is an integrated cargo ship and tanker smoke stack emission collection and treatment system. The system is deployed from a barge parked next to a docked cargo ship or tanker. The system will reduce the emissions to the environment by collecting smoke stack exhaust and filtering it.

The ultra long Harbor Arm may be the largest robotic arm ever built with 104 ft. reach and uses an eight (8) degrees of freedom articulated arm with a specially engineered collection bonnet that fits over the exhaust stack of ships. Connected to the bonnet is ducting allowing the emissions to be redirected and flow through filters located on the barge. The harbor arm is a steel tower with a hydraulically powered carbon fiber arm to deploy the bonnet onto the ship’s smoke stack.

The arm controls must locate the stack and position the bonnet on the stack with minimal operator interface. Using both passive and active systems, the bonnet will maintain its position over the stack for substantial periods of time. The arm has a sophisticated controls system and sensors strategically located to ensure precise movement of the arm.

Initially, the system locates the stack in three dimensions using a vision system and laser distance sensors. Once found, the operator identifies the stack geometry and the areas the stack is forbidden (e.g., antenna forms). The bonnet is then remotely placed on to the stack. The station keeping function is accomplished with laser distance sensors and a vertical laser sensor. Ultrasonic sensors provide additional object sensing. All joints are fail-safe with the main bonnet arm joint raising up and away from the ship with a loss-of-power failure.