Project Automates Wing Structures Assembly
2/20/2014 1:17:00 AM
FEATURE
GKN Aerospace is leading a project under the Structures Technology Maturity (STeM) program in the UK to automate aircraft structure assembly with the goal of creating consistently high-quality wing structures 30% faster than currently possible.
Among the processes in this STeM program are lightweight fixturing, reconfigurable tooling, automated part positioning, assisted deposition of sealant, metrology assisted robotics, lightweight drilling heads, light-weight fastening heads for single sided fasteners, automated scanning for accurate countersink drilling, and automated fastener inspection.
The STeM program is based around an advanced winglet as the demonstrator component, using this to progress a range of innovative assembly technologies. The complete assembly tooling and robotic strategy for the winglet has been developed by GKN Aerospace in collaboration with the advanced manufacturing research center (AMRC) at Sheffield University and Nikon Metrology.
Designed to be generic and therefore equally applicable to many future aircraft wing and fuselage structures, the process uses emerging automated and robotic techniques to speed assembly while providing consistent end product.
“As an industry we must step up production rates to meet future demand whilst ensuring the structures we design and build meet ever more demanding aircraft performance requirements,” stated GKN Aerospace technical director Richard Oldfield.
“This STeM project is enabling GKN Aerospace and our partners to evolve and assess a number of promising assembly technologies and processes that could give us the performance, tolerances, affordability and integrity we will need in the coming decades.”
GKN Aerospace leads the STeM Advanced Winglet project, with Bombardier, Spirit and GE partnering. GKN Aerospace provides £1.8m in funding, matched by TSB (Technology Strategy Board) support. ©2014 GlobalFastenerNews.com
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