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Content archived on 2022-12-27

SUBSEA INTELLIGENT COMPACT HYDRAULIC ACTUATORS

Objective

DRASS S.P.A. with the collaboration of European hydraulic and robotics specialist wants to develop and design a range of "SUBSEA INTELLIGENT COMPACT HYDRAULIC ACTUATORS".
If successful it will bring a major contribution to the development of second generation underwater robotics (more autonomy decision, more high level communication with operator, more versatily) needed to install, maintain, next to come subsea automatic production systems.
Difficulties are important due to the technical and economic constraints (must be compact, resistant, rreliable, modular, intelligent and evolutive, price competitive ...).
The state of the technology is very encouraging : nothing similar is really exisiting for subsea applications. Industrial ground produts are beginning to appear but the level of intelligence is still very low and robotics experts have not yet been involved. Very interesting research workds are being made on this subject in European Universities.
Technical and economical evaluation has been finalised. Underwater use to maximum 1000 m. Maximum hydraulic pressure 350 bar, flow according to request for use with simpler power pack.
Electric/electronic power 24 VDC, current limited, possibility of connection to external computer, standard signal transmission.
It was decided to select only one demonstrative application to start with and to concentrate on concretely solving the practical problems. The linear intelligent actuationor was chosen for the particular application of making an intelligent manipulator to be used especially on board ROV4s.
Different position sensors have been tested together with a complete linear actuator. When the project was stopped a first laboratory model was available and operational. The problems remaining to be solved were the final integration and suitable packaging for underwater environments, together with the finalisation of the software. Technically this project was very interesting and also very promising. The project was stopped for organisational reasons.
These Subsea Intelligent Compact Hydraulic Actuators will be composed of 4 different parts integrated in one package :
- the actuator itself
- the amplifier (valve)
- the sensors
- the control and communication box
This project will be developed in 4 phases themselves divided in activities, over a period of 3 years.
First for preliminary investigation and specification of 2 demonstrative actuators
PHASE I : preliminary studies
Then, to solve the basic R & D problems, 2 phases in parallel :
- PHASE II : development of the hydraulic components
- PHASE III : development of the electronics and associated software
Ultimately, to prove the validity of the concept and initiate the marketing actions :
PHASE IV : integration and tests.

Topic(s)

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Call for proposal

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Coordinator

Drass SpA
EU contribution
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Address
Via Venezia 9
24040 Zingonia Bergamo
Italy

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Total cost
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