Product category:
Automatic and robotic welding systems
News Release from: KUKA Automation + Robotics | Subject: Robotic laser welding cell - titanium panels
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 02 April 2007
Robotic laser cell welds titanium panels
A robotic laser welding cell has raised productivity by rapidly laser welding titanium panels used on the leading edges of light aircraft wings for dispensing glycol-based fluid for ice protection.
A KUKA robotic laser welding cell has transformed the production of safety critical light aircraft components made by CAV Aerospace, the market leader in ice protection systems The high-speed performance and flexibility of the equipment has so impressed the Consett-based manufacturer that it has ordered a second cell for producing other aircraft products
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 22 Dec 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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The first cell is already helping to boost productivity by rapidly laser welding titanium panels used on the leading edges of light aircraft wings for dispensing glycol-based fluid for ice protection.
CAV Aerospace is now able to weld a single panel in just a fraction of the time compared to its previous labour-intensive method which involved fastening up to 300 rivets by hand.
Components are manually loaded along a KUKA-designed track into the fully-enclosed cell which features a KUKA KR150 robot equipped with a Trumpf YAG pulsed laser.
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Eliminating the need for hand polishing, a robot is being used to polish aircraft wing access panels, to remove machining marks, in batches of up to 48 access panels of 12 different sizes.
KUKA has not only incorporated a RFID system to simplify and speed up changeovers between different component sizes, but also added working-range monitoring with its Safe Robot functionality.
Automating part of the production process for its TKS brand of ice protection systems was a crucial factor for boosting output following a substantial increase in new business, explained Paul Bradbury, CAV Aerospace's engineering manager.
"It was also important to help maintain a competitive advantage rather than run the risk of losing out to the competition.
KUKA was chosen for the project because of its expertise in robotic welding applications," he stated.
Since the cell had been installed, significant improvements in efficiency and productivity were already evident and these were expected to rise further when full capacity was achieved, said Bradbury.
"This installation is an excellent example of how robots can efficiently and reliably automate traditional, labour-intensive methods in the aerospace industry at a time when component makers are under pressure to find alternative solutions to stay one step ahead of competitors," commented Gary Taylor, aerospace manager at KUKA Automation + Robotics.
"Robots and automated production systems are becoming increasingly vital to the aircraft industry as manufacturers and suppliers strive to deliver the volumes required to satisfy global demand," he added.
KUKA Automation + Robotics has recently won substantial levels of new business within the aerospace sector and has developed a mobile robot cell, RoboInspect, for a top aircraft manufacturer who is using it to examine test coupons for checking drill hole parameters of airframe components. Request a free brochure from KUKA Automation + Robotics ...
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