Automation for aviation | Aerospace

Automation solutions for aviation

Drive your productivity to dizzying heights with the right automation.

Aviation

Highest demands on material, quality and efficiency

From small to large, top performance is achieved every day in aerospace manufacturing. From high-precision components for landing gear or flight controls to large valve blocks or structural components, high-quality, reliable and on-time manufacturing processes are crucial but so too are costs.

The increased volume of air traffic is leading to rising demand and manufacturing capacities have to be expanded. At the same time, more competitors are entering the market and price pressure is increasing. We want to help meet these challenges and ensure the ideal utilization and therefore cost-effectiveness of your high-tech machines with intelligent automation concepts. Low-manpower manufacturing can reduce costs and alleviate the shortage of skilled workers. Automated processes improve planning reliability and adherence to schedules and enable just-in-time component manufacturing.

The requirements of the aerospace industry

High mix/low volume

- Small batch sizes
- Series in quantities < 100
- Manufacturing in multiple setups

Top quality

- Highest demands on product quality
- Quality control after running-in of the first part mandatory

High tool requirements

- Complex geometries
- High machining volume
- High tool throughput, especially for materials that are difficult to machine

The answer: automation

Automation from a batch size of one

We offer pallet handling with standardized workpiece carriers and individual clamping fixtures or robots with gripper changing systems for different parts. The operator is guided through changing activities via cell control.

Quality assurance during the machining process

Measuring tasks can be integrated into flexible manufacturing systems and performed automatically or during the machining process while machining is under way. Production data can be transferred directly to the quality management system.

Tool automation

The Tool Handling System THS enables automated tool changing from a central magazine. Intelligent interfaces for tool presetting eliminate waiting times for tools as well as errors.

Aerospace: How to automate your manufacturing

PHS pallet handling systems

The PHS offers large workpiece storage unit and therefore long autonomy times for low-manpower or even unmanned manufacturing. Intelligent cell control helps manage resources and reduce the complexity of high mix/low volume manufacturing.

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Tool Handling Systems THS

Due to partly high-strength materials, large part variety and high metal removal volumes, the tool requirement is enormous. Automated tool supply with central storage and autonomous tool change into the machine magazines relieves operators and reduces waiting times.

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LHRobotics.Vision

The technology package includes LHRobotics.Vision Software, which makes both precise object identification and selection and collision-free part withdrawal possible. Optionally, the software can also manage robot path planning up to the deposit position. An additional project-based vision system is required for this application.

Flexible manufacturing system at MTU: blade production with autopilot

The system we have created together is very complex and far ahead of the previous state of the art.
Marc Weiß, Head of Flexible Manufacturing Systems, MTU Aero Engines Munich

Video

Customer projects

Liebherr Aerospace: revolution in valve block production

To manufacture the A350 valve block weighing a whopping 70 kg, two rough machining centers were automated with a PHS 750 Pro. 80 pallet storage locations provide a large work supply and therefore buffer time and enable low-manpower manufacturing. Tool storage (pictured on the left) ensures high autonomy, also in tool supply. Two setup stations enable setup to be carried out during the machining process.

Increase in machine capacity to 3 shifts/5 days (12,500 h/a)
Setup during the machining process
Spindle running times of over 90% achievable
Reduction of unit costs by 30%

Video: Titanium components for Airbus A350

Intelligent manufacturing organization

In addition to automatic loading with buffer function, resource management is an essential component of the pallet handling system. In the cell control software, automatic detailed planning of the required work is carried out according to the provision date by backward scheduling. The cell control provides optimum support for the operator by providing information on workpiece clamping. Measuring machines can also be connected to the system for initial inspection close to the machining system.

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MTU Aero Engines: high-productivity manufacturing system for turbine blades

To automate the grinding of turbine blades, we created a unique manufacturing concept for MTU Aero Engines for small and medium series at their Munich site.

Automation for 5 gear grinding machines
Integrated tool and fixture management
Interface to automated robot cell for tool assembly
Unmanned production over the entire weekend (66 hours)
More than tenfold increase in employee productivity

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PHS as a universal storage system

The special feature: the pallet handling system not only stores workpieces. The PHS 750 Pro also manages clamping fixtures, dressing tools and grippers. After starting with 170 storage locations, in a second step the capacity was expanded to 240 locations. The tool storage (pictured on the right) for supplying the machines with grinding wheels is integrated into the oil sump of the gantry loader in a particularly space-saving manner and offers space for 480 grinding tools.