Classification Characteristics of Unmanned Tethered Underwater Systems as a Component of Improving the Efficiency of Their Design

Abstract

The design stage is considered to be rather resource-intensive in the entire process of creating marine robotic technology. Therefore, the applied scientific task of reducing the resource costs for those processes is of high interest. Among other things, the time consumed for design stage has to be reduced by determining the design characteristics at an early stage of design. The approach considered to reduce such costs involves structuring the classification features of tethered underwater systems in such a way as to simplify the selection and justification of design solutions at the stage of preliminary system design. For design engineers of underwater equipment, the list of classification features of tethered self-propelled and those towed underwater systems has been suggested. The list is based on a system approach and is structured according to material, energy, information and operational (functional) criteria. All of that enables performing the comparative assessment of existing systems upon key indicators and formalizing the processes of their synthesis at early stages of design. To demonstrate the capabilities of the system approach, the generalized algorithm for the organization of design works using the system of classification features of tethered self-propelled and towed underwater systems at the early stages of their design. The algorithm involves the formation and structuring of many classification features of such systems as the initial stage of the process of making effective design decisions in the early stages of design of underwater robotics. It has been revealed that putting in use the classification features system in question, enables deploying minimal project resources to make reference to the relevant databases and decide on already-existing artifact projects and select out of those available in the underwater equipment market key components and parts of underwater systems which would satisfy the requirements of the technical task of implementing the tethered underwater systems. That would significantly reduce the prime cost of design works and enhance the competitiveness of domestic science-based achievements in the markets of marine robotics.