Design and Production of a Conceptual Model of a Bionic Crab Underwater Robot

  • CHEN Zehan ,
  • TIAN Yutao ,
  • ZHOU Zhengxun ,
  • et al
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  • Ship and Maritime College,Guangdong Ocean University,Zhanjiang 524088,Guangdong,China

Online published: 2026-05-29

Supported by

2022 年广东海洋大学校教改项目“基于船舶结构力学课程的船舶与海洋工程专业的‘课程思政’教学设计研究”(010201132202);省级教研教改项目、校级教研教改项目“新工科背景下海洋工程类专业实践教学体系改革研究”(粤教高函〔2021〕29号、校教务〔2021〕65号)。

Abstract

To address the issues of existing underwater robots being prone to damage and low operational efficiency in complex terrains and strong current environments, and to meet the demand for full-cycle exploration and maintenance in oil and gas development, this paper designs a bionic crab underwater robot, fabricates a 1∶1 conceptual model, and investigates the rationality of the design. Taking the crab as its bionic prototype, the robot adopts a streamlined body to reduce flow resistance. It uses the combined drive of walking legs and thrusters to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom movement on the seabed. Its front claws and appendages can remove obstacles, and the biological prototype structure provides excellent impact resistance. The model is fabricated using fused deposition modeling (FDM) and stereolithography (SLA)3D printing. After modeling, simplification and splitting in Rhino, components including legs, body and claws are printed separately and then assembled as a whole. Verified by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and wave-making experiments, this study lays a foundation for the physical implementation of the robot. In the future, integrating AI and new materials will enable it to adapt to deeper-sea operation scenarios.

Cite this article

CHEN Zehan , TIAN Yutao , ZHOU Zhengxun , et al . Design and Production of a Conceptual Model of a Bionic Crab Underwater Robot[J]. Ocean Engineering Equipment and Technology, 2026 , 13(2) : 8 -16 . DOI: 10.12087/oeet.2095-7297.2026.02.02

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