KUKA Aerospace Expands in Michigan
FEATURE
Aerospace assembly robotic manufacturer KUKA Systems is expanding its facility in Clinton Township, MI. Ground-breaking is expected in early May. The project is the third in a series of investments to expand the R&D, engineering and manufacturing footprint of KUKA’s global aerospace group, based in Michigan.
Products manufactured by Sterling Heights, MI-based KUKA Systems include end effectors, the functional units attached to a robot arm that perform specific production or logistical tasks like drilling, riveting, fastening, and positioning.
KUKA Systems already has opened a 29,000 sq ft facility in Everett, WA, to support customers on the West Coast. The Everett facility is the company’s first U.S. installation outside Michigan.
Earlier this month, KUKA officially opened a new R&D and production facility for advanced aerospace automation solutions in Le Haillan, France. That building has over 28,000 sq ft of floor space for production, engineering and other departments.
“These investments are a response to the strong uptake of our technologies and solutions by major aerospace companies around the world,” says Robert Reno, Group Vice President, KUKA Aerospace Group. “By working closely with them in the design and deployment of these concepts, we’re helping change the way aircraft are assembled.”
KUKA’s US customers includes Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Gulfstream Aerospace and Bell Helicopter.
KUKA created a highly automated assembly line for Northrop Grumman to build center fuselages for the F-35 jet fighter. It also is building automated manufacturing systems for the Boeing 777 and 737-MAX programs. For Gulfstream, it is supplying tooling and mobile robotic platforms to help build its newest corporate jets, while it has supplied a complete assembly line for building Bell’s new super-medium class commercial helicopter, the 525 Relentless.
The European customer base includes Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Stelia Aerospace.
KUKA Systems is part of Germany-based KUKA AG, an international supplier of engineering services and flexible automation systems for the Automotive, Aerospace, Energy, and Industrial Solutions segments. KUKA AG employs 5,800 workers and reported sales of EUR 1.28 billion in 2014. Web: kuka-systems.com
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