Supported by the University of Nottingham's Omnifactory facility, this application study focuses on addressing industrial requirements around the future automated assembly of aerostructures, although any industry with high-value high-complexity products at a low or variable volume will also benefit. Particular challenges faced in this sector include increasing the cost effectiveness of facilities by increasing utilisation and flexibility, at the same time as reducing non-recurring costs, ramp-up/down time, and changeover time. This is accomplished through three main strands:  

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•  Multifunctional assembly cells: How to design, implement, test, validate, and demonstrate a cost-effective multifunctional manufacturing system in the context of aerostructures assembly. 

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• Morphing assembly system methods: How to enable the assembly system reconfiguration in response to product and requirement changes. What digital infrastructure can support simulation, digital thread, optimisation, and virtual commissioning in a manufacturing context? 

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• Data collection and validation: How to capture data from throughout the production environment and validate product quality against requirements. 

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Associated tech solutions:

 

• Smart factory optimisation 

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• (Optimisation factory/cell planning 2) 

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• Behaviour model 

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• Auto PLC code gen 

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• Virtual commissioning 

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• Rigid contouring end-effector 

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• AGV autonomy upgrade

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