How do I maintain my manipulator?

Regular maintenance of your manipulator is incredibly important. Follow these steps to extend the lifespan of your Reach Robotics product.

Cleaning

• Manipulators should be cleaned thoroughly after every deployment, dry or wet.
• After immersion in salt water, wash manipulators in fresh water to prevent salt deposits and corrosion.
• Remove all debris from the manipulator, focusing on joint closures and jaws to preserve sealing surfaces.
• Do not use harsh chemicals to clean any Reach Robotics manipulators.
• Do not use metal wire brushes to clean any Reach Robotics manipulators.

Connector care

• Keep connectors covered with always-provided bulkhead protectors when they are not in use.
• Regularly check connector pins for signs of damage or corrosion.
• Ensure female connectors are debris-free – flush with compressed air if necessary.
• Apply silicon grease to male and female connectors before every mating – ensure female connector sockets are greased to 1/10-1/3 of socket depth.

Cable care

• Avoid exceeding the bend radii.
• When de-mating connectors, pull the connector rather than the cable to remove it.
• Consider strain relief methods if using externally powered tools at the manipulator's end-effector.

Other considerations

•  Avoid using ball-end Allen key sets, which can lead to rounded bolts that are difficult to remove.
• Keep the firmware up-to-date to take advantage of bug fixes and performance improvements.
• Reach Robotics manipulators are intended for use in air or water. Avoid deploying in other fluids as these may harm the materials used in the manipulator production.