Aerospace 4.0: Implications of the New Manufacturing Ecosystem

Presentation to: Wings of the Future 2017 Forum Moscow, Russia November 2017 Dr. David Pritchard Focus of the Research

• The next generation single aisle aircraft (mid 2020s) could be adopting advanced manufacturing technologies with robotic applications (Cobots, Mobots) for metallic structure, automated fiber placement and additive manufacturing.

• The aircraft’s clean sheet designs will integrate advancing robotic technologies with transforming the assembly process by eliminating traditional monument style production equipment/tooling with automated guided vehicles

• The new clean sheet aircraft design will be standardizing the practices of additive manufacturing components (3D printing) which obsoletes many traditional machining technologies. Agenda

• Robotics • Fuselage Production – 777 FAUB – Boeing 787 Composite Barrel – Riveting/Fastening Robots – Airbus A350XWB Composite Panel – Mobile Robots – Human Robot Collaboration – Composite Robots • Wing Production – Composites-Autoclave – Thermoplastics – Airbus A350XWB – Boeing 777X • Additive Manufacturing – Composites-Non Autoclave – Concept Laser-Powder – United Aircraft Corporation MC 21 – Sciaky Electron Beam-Wire

• Factories of the Future – Stelia – A320NEO Final Assembly Line Fuselage Production Boeing 787 Composite Barrel

. Airbus A 350XWB Composite Fuselage

. Airbus A 350XWB Composite Panels

. Airbus A 350XWB Premium Aerotec

. Wing Production Airbus A350XWB Composite Wing

. Boeing 777X Composite Wing

. Boeing 777X Carbon-Fiber Strips

. Boeing 777X Autoclave

. United Aircraft Corporation MC 21 Composite Wing

. MC 21 Wing Preform is Prepared by Robot

. MC 21 Wing - Six-Millimeter Carbon Tape

. MC 21 Wing Prepared for Thermal Oven

. MC 21 Thermal Fusion Center

. Next Generation Single Aisle Wing Production

• “Will the required low takt times be achieved with capable manufacturing technologies? Looking at the state-of-the-art autoclave production value chain, I’m skeptical that this will be the path forward.”

• “This is doable with autoclave technologies. But, imagine if six wings per day for the single aisle planes, A320 and B737, had to be manufactured with CFRP. How should this be achieved? Who could and would afford such investments?”

• “Highly automated, out-of-the-autoclave technologies must be implemented to achieve low takt times”

Andreas Wüllner, chairman, Business Unit Composites – Fibers and Materials at SGL Group, Keynote Address at the Aerodef Manufacturing Conference 2017 Robotic Solutions Fuselage Automated Upright Build (FAUB)

. Boeing 777 FAUB

. Boeing 787 Horizontal Stabilizer “Drill and Fill" Robots

. Boeing 787 “Quadbot” Robots for Aft Fuselages

. Brotje Automation RACE Mobile Robot Platform

. Boeing 787 “Cobot” for Collar Installation

. Cobot Verification of A350XWB Brackets

. Human Robot Collaboration (Ze/Ma)

. Composite Robot Automated Fiber Placement

. Monocoque Fuselage with Integrated Frames (MTorres) Robots Lay Carbon Dry Fiber (MTorres) (To be impregnated with infusion and cured in a regular oven) Future Fuselage Production (MTorres) (In the near future integrated stringers with out of autoclave technologies) Thermoplastic Structures Stelia Aerospace Thermoplastic Structures

. Additive Manufacturing What is Additive Manufacturing? Fundamentals of Additive Manufacturing

Conventional manufacturing Additive manufacturing

Material usage Material waste Material usage Material waste

Conventionally manufactured bracket Additively manufactured bracket*

*Source: Laser Zentrum Nord GmbH TU Hamburg-Harburg

page 37 | www.conceptlaserinc.com Additive Manufactured Parts (GE Fuel Nozzle)

. Boeing 787 FAA Approved 3D Printed Parts

. Sciaky-Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing

EBAM 110 –work envelope of 70 inches x 47 inches x 63 inches Early Preform Stage and Finished Part

. Factories of the Future Stelia Aerospace (Airbus) Meaulte France

• “For the finishing of the sections, a "moving line " length of 70 meters and comprising 7 stations was installed. Advances at 2.5 centimeters per minute.”

• “More than 35 robots and automatic riveting machines with three moving production lines.”

• “Increased Production Rate by 50% while reducing Manufacturing Costs by 30%” Stelia Aerospace Advance Manufacturing

. Airbus A320NEO Final Assembly Line (Nova Tech Eng.)

• FAL comprises seven stations with mobile platforms for positioning fuselage sections and wings and transporting them to the next station.

• The electrically powered platforms are fully automated and allow for a flexible hangar layout.

• Two adjustable-height robots with six-axis capability drill more than 2,000 individual holes in the circumferential joint and install the rivets. Airbus A320NEO 4th Hamburg FAL

. Airbus A320NEO FAL (MTM Robots)

. CRAIC CR 929 Widebody Commercial Aircraft Recent Acquisitions of Automation Companies

Aritex in Spain was acquired by Aviation Industry Corporation of China

Gemcor was acquired by Ascent Aerospace

KUKA Robots in Germany was acquired by MIDEA Group

Brotje Automation in Germany was acquired by Shanghai Electric Group

Valiant Machine & Tool in Canada was acquired by Chinese Consortium

KUKA Aerospace North America was acquired by Advance Integration Technologies

Nova-Tech Engineering was acquired by Advance Integration Technologies Thank you Questions? Contact Information

Dr. David Pritchard Associate Professor/Aviation Researcher SUNY Empire State College 2875 Union Road Buffalo, New York 14227 United States

Emails: [email protected] [email protected]

Skype: david.pritchard840