AEROSPACE - AIM HIGH WITH SENSITIVE ROBOTICS
FerRobotics
FerRobotics is the leader in sensitive robotic end-of-arm tooling with the patented Active Compliant Technology (ACT)
The highest precision and quality are essential in the aviation business. Both aircraft manufacturers and the supplier industry rely on contact-sensitive solutions in production, equipped with FerRobotics' Active Compliant Technology. The aerospace and defense industry focuses on their products, particularly for grinding processes, polishing and finishing work, as they guarantee the required consistently high quality while at the same time increasing productivity besides seamless documentation and 100% real-time process control.
It is more than ever a topic to relieve human workers from 3D jobs and thus ensure occupational health and safety. Furthermore to reduce the consumption of abrasives and energy as well as the need of personnel. From production to maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of an aircraft, FerRobotics delivers solutions for grinding, polishing, paint stripping, cleaning and for supporting quality checks such as ultrasonic measurement in action.
Typical parts and application areas of surface finishing:?
WIDE SURFACE SANDING
A three headed robotic sander, from the FerRobotics Active Orbital Kit Family, is perfect for automated sanding tasks of large surfaces, like the automated sanding of aircraft wings or fuselage. The AOK 601 ensures a constant force during the sanding process and thus guarantees the best possible surface treatment.?This is crucial for modern aircraft coatings.?
FAN BLADE PROFILING AND FINISHING
Automated surface finishing processes in the field of turbine engine manufacturing help to optimize the sanding process of expensive and complex shaped high-tech blades. Our advanced compliant belt sander, powered by FerRobotics Active Compliant Technology, has a response time perfectly matched to this application which can perfectly process strict tolerance ranges.
JET CANOPY PRODUCTION AND REFURBISHMENT
Advanced refurbishment like tansparency sanding and finishing is a job for experts. The slightest distortions are not acceptable for customers. Slowing down a process causes heat and therefore material changes. There also might be many different processes which often can‘t be changed. FerRobotics tools are flexible and can adapt to everything – much better than the human hand! Rely on the best to correct the pilot’s view of the outside world.
BLISK SANDING -?IBR (Integrated bladed rotor) SANDING
Customize your robotic solution with our AAK XS to grind the surfaces of a blisk (blade integrated disk) or integrally bladed rotor (IBR) and to benefit from unmanned operation time. Complex shaped, expensive parts with tight tolerances have no space for errors. This automated technique often comes closer to the ideal values needed for perfect flow characteristics rather than the preset target values.
LIP SKIN / LEADING EDGE SANDING
Due to the complicated shape of the part, this is probably one of the most difficult finishing applications. The main goal is to achieve a uniform finish throughout the part. This needs consistent pressure of the tools to avoid ‘swirl’ marks or other changes in the surface. These tasks are easy to perform with fast robot speed and accurate force control even with speeds up to 1000 mm/s. With the fast and real force control of our ACT solutions you can often eliminate further sanding or finishing steps – especially when mirror finish is required.
LOW PRESSURE COMPRESSOR BLADE POLISHING
The ACF increases productivity immensely with an optimal yield of good parts. The ACT-robotized finishing reduces processing steps and increases process reliability. The Active Compliant Technology guarantees a fully-automatic handling of this precision work and the manufacturing of complex contours.
HONEYCOMB SANDING
Automated surface finishing of shaped honeycomb sandwich panels with multi-top-layer (membrane) structures for airplane overhead compartments, cabin interior or seat shells has to be done with sensitive robotic tools. Our AOK sander is the solution to relieve humans from that ?super dusty“ task. It helps to meet high requirements in delicate materials like fiberglass, carbon fiber and has shown perfect results with extremely close tolerances. This specialised high precision end-of-arm tool allows for excellent reproducibility with no rework.
FIXED VANE BLADE POLISHING
Complex shaped parts need a fast responding tool to follow the varying geometries, especially on radius changes. Heavy bulky spindle tools are just not capable in following the parts line fast enough. Avoid expensive workarounds with complicated databases and process development as a supposed way to get rid of problems. With FerRobotics sensitive end effectors you can achieve shorter cycle times easily, reduce part programing to the minimum and support defined material removal (sanding exactly to size) to get desired results in consistant surface roughness.
TURBINE SHELL SANDING
The grinding of filler with the proven Active Compliant Technology attains a perfect surface finish. Due to accurate force control it also reduces the risk of over sanding. This automation step not only reduces costs and cycle times. It maintains quality at a high, constant level with full process control. In this industry, a smooth surface finish is critical in reducing air turbulences to a minimum.
Your?contact in sensitive?robotics:
Bernd Kemptner / Director Aerospace FerRobotics / +43 664 13 12 192 / [email protected]
If this article has sparked your interest, please get in touch with us. We will be happy to show you the benefits gained with our Active Compliant Technology solutions and discuss with you various options that can make a lasting difference to your manufacturing process. We look forward to hearing from you.
Material removal is for beginners! Let’s finish your parts! Vice President (VP) FerRobotics
2 年so much fun to work on these applications ...