Technology update
Automated wing box assembly
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An early study by ROBCAD used for validation of techniques for automated assembly of wing structures.
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British Aerospace Airbus is managing a major joint research project to evaluate techniques for automating the assembly of large commercial airliner wings. The British Government's Department of Trade and Industry is partially funding the project, which also involves AEA Technology, AMTRI, Leica, Sowerby Research, and UK Robotics. The partners are modeling all concepts and designs for hardware in 3D simulation using Tecnomatix Technologies' ROBCAD and DYNAMO software. The project is designated AWBA II (Automated Wing-Box Assembly Phase II) and is slated for completion by late next year. A full-scale technology demonstrator is envisaged to prove the physical capabilities of automated assembly systems, backed up by a simulation showing the function of an entire production system.
Tecnomatix states that an initial study has been completed using ROBCAD to establish the overall assembly cell concept. This will be followed up by separate studies using DYNAMO and SIMPLE++ software to validate concepts, develop kinematics and a new automated hardware, off-line programming of robots, and for verifying cycle times. SIMPLE++ will also be used to provide a top level view based on a network of operations and workflow dependencies. The company adds that as concepts develop, fully representative CAD models will be brought together within ROBCAD and DYNAMO to construct a detailed simulation of the full production AWBA system.
Stuart Birch
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