Fuzzy control-based bolt tightening for power cable maintenance robot

Purpose In response to the poor reliability of live maintenance robots in semi-structured environments and the difficulty of monitoring their operation status, this paper aims to propose an online method for evaluating the operation status of high-voltage live maintenance robots based on fuzzy control. Design/methodology/approach The robot bolt tightening operation is taken as an example. During the whole operation process, the key technologies of bolt tightening are analyzed theoretically, a two-dimensional fuzzy control model of bolt tightening process control is established and the control parameters, which characterize the operation status, are obtained. Through dynamic adjustment of the fuzzy controller, real-time online monitoring of the robot operation status can be achieved. Findings The results of simulation experiments and 220 kV live operation experiments show that the reliability of robot bolt tightening is greatly enhanced by the proposed control method. Originality/value The results not only verify the engineering practicability of the fuzzy control-based method but also indicate that it can improve efficiency, safety and operability.