We are developing a robotic machining cell, to enhance our capabilities in the manufacture of representative aerospace components, and allow deeper investigation into how the versatile machining equipment can be utilised in a flexible, digitally connected manufacturing environment. 

 

The existing FANUC R-2000iC/190S heavy payload, short arm robot will be installed in a new machining cell in the Aerospace Technology Centre, geographically separate from the existing Omnifactory facility. This will allow research into real-time monitoring, control and optimisation of equipment in disparate facilities, enabled by connecting the two factories into the same Omnifactory digital infrastructure. Options for off-line programming and integration with the digital technology stack will be investigated and tested. 

 

The robot cell will allow trimming of aircraft panels up to 4m x 2m, and allow creation of complex mould tools. A low-cost off-the-shelf spindle will be rigidly mounted to the robot flange, with options for swarf and dust extraction to be investigated. Data will be obtained from onboard sensors, to be stored in the product DNA and enable future machine learning research opportunities.