Assembly in aerospace features at IEE seminar

Abstract

Purpose

To review presentations on assembly and joining given at a seminar, “The changing face of robotics: inside and outside the factory”, organised by the UK Institution of Electrical Engineers.

Design/methodology/approach

Details are given of three presentations. The first is by Dr Phil Webb of the University of Nottingham, who described a project to develop a flexible robotic cell capable of riveting and assembling aero‐structure components, in which a new method of “simulation‐based control” evolved. In the second, Pearl Agjakwa of Nottingham University and Craig Johnson of Rolls Royce talked about shape metal deposition, a process by which layers of weld are deposited by robot to form complex aerospace components with minimal tooling and short lead times. The final presentation was by Dr Wolfgang Kölbl of Meta Vision Systems on laser vision robot guidance. Applications in automotive and a new cross vision sensor were described, the latter being applicable to hole location such as for drilling and riveting.

Findings

Robotics inside the factory is extending into new areas of assembly and fastening and is now finding applications in the aerospace industry and not just in automotive.

Originality/value

Provides a review of some new assembly‐related process developments in robotics.

Citation

Rooks, B. (2005), "Assembly in aerospace features at IEE seminar", Assembly Automation, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 108-111. https://doi.org/10.1108/01445150510590451