Smart Shell Structure Designed to Protect Industrial Robots from Aggressive Environments

The paper is dedicated to the modeling of protective shell structures for robotic devices that are being introduced into various areas of industrial production. Intelligent protective case is modeled as a multi-layer flexible non-stretchable shell with built-in wearable electronics and conductive filaments. Modeling of the surface of a protective cover for a robot is proposed on the basis of an analytical description of all parts of the surface of the shell structure in a Cartesian or cylindrical coordinate system. Each of the layers of the protective cover is designed in the form of a developable surface, which makes it possible to reduce the three-dimensional task of designing the cover to a two-dimensional one. A description of the structure of a protective cover with insulating and protective layers, external and internal sensors and ground electrodes is given. Microcircuits are embedded in the protective shells, which are designed to ensure reliable and trouble-proof operation of robots based on modern software. Reliable and safe operation of the protective shell and the robotic device itself can be ensured using modern electrically conductive structures either in the form of threads or in the form of contact tracks applied to textile materials. Ensuring more reliable operation of flexible microcircuits and printed circuit boards, as well as conductive connections is proposed on the basis of new conductive materials and nanotechnology. Tencel nanomaterial is proposed as a textile material, which has a higher porosity and strength in comparison with traditional materials.