An Intelligent Snow Removal Robotic System: Topology Based Structural Lightweighting and Power Consumption Analysis

This study involves a thorough investigation encompassing the comprehensive design, development, topology optimization and power analysis of a mobile snow removal robotic system. The creation of all subcomponents and assembly models was undertaken using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools. The electronic hardware, including components such as batteries, Raspberry Pi, and motor drivers, were selected. The assembly of these parts was then conducted, with the objective of integrating them into the overall structure. Finite element analyses (FEA) were performed to evaluate the system's structural strength and stability. The objective of topology optimization was to minimize the weight and energy consumption of the mobile robot. As a result, an optimized structure achieving a 7% weight reduction and 9% energy savings was developed. A novel feature of this study is the integration of a custom-designed Python-based power analysis tool, enabling precise energy consumption comparison between optimized and non-optimized structures. These combined methods demonstrate a significant improvement over the existing snow removal robotic system.