Concept development for Line isolation cutter

The establishing of new electrical connections onto existing cables is a job which requires skilled technicians and can be dangerous at times. In order to reduce the risks to which a technician is exposed, a robotic solution is desirable. This research paper looks into the feasibility of designing a robot suited to the task of removing various insulating layers of an electrical cable to prepare it for splicing. Of particular interest is the possibility of remote manipulation of the cable in order to remove the technician from potentially dangerous situations. Furthermore, the number of qualified technicians is not growing along with the demand, and thus a solution which reduces the amount of time spent on one specific task can be beneficial towards both the technician as well as their employer. Another potential benefit is the potential reduction in physically demanding tasks due to these being done by a robot instead of a technician. The requirements for a robotic concept are explored in order to detail a list of specifications for a robot to adhere to. A proof-of-concept is then developed which demonstrates the feasibility of automatically manipulating electrical cables. Not all requirements are met in this initial proof-of-concept. Although the robot is not fully featured according to the specifications, it is a promising starting point for further development of a robotic concept.