We’ve seen tremendous increases in automation in aerospace manufacturing, and aerospace 4.0 techniques to integrate CAD designs with automated work cells have changed the nature of how components from engine blades to landing gear are built. The next step in that process is inspection and ensuring that everything meets specification. The future of inspection also appears to be automated, with robots being developed to utilize a variety of non-destructive testing capabilities to ensure parts meet specifications.
FACC, a European aerospace supplier that produces aircraft components and systems, has been awarded a three-year research project to establish a software framework for the efficient use of inspection robots in aerospace manufacturing. The project, under the lead of Profactor GmbH, along with eight scientific and industrial partners from Austria, Germany, and Italy, will focus on the development of a new generation of inspection robots that can be used without extensive programming efforts.
