BAE Systems and Cobots
BAE Systems have commented that their engineers will benefit from cobots or collaborative robots very soon. It is efficiently developed to support people who are in complex manufacturing tasks of battle aircraft by this year-end.
The key feature of this factory in the future would be the cobotic workstation. It will have a wide range of latest digital technology and also be directed at Warton, Lancashire area to function seamlessly and safely. It will function along with manufacturers who are constructing high-tech systems to develop advanced combat aircraft.
The sensor permitted cobotic arm and operator recognition are some of the technologies that were developed. These technologies will be examined in the Typhoon production section by this year-end. BAE systems are continuously investing in and improving its manufacturing abilities to deliver a better aircraft for the future.
The launch of latest digitally assimilated advanced manufacturing technologies developed on existing reserves in robotics and motto to improve productivity, safety, and quality measures in future combat aircraft programmes helps in increasing the manufacturing agility and competitiveness of the company.
BAE Systems have already made use of robotics and it is one among the aircraft production line. It consists of an advanced level of automation. However, the integrated sensors which feature in workstation remain as an advanced step. It helps people to work safely directly with the robots.
The cobot technology would permit the worker to take strategic decisions and at the same time delegating tasks to cobotic arm. It performs machine drive and repetitive tasks that needs consistency. It helps the engineers to concentrate on tough and skilled tasks thereby enhancing additional importance to manufacturing process.
Benefits Of Equipping Cobots
The cobots can recognize operators and simultaneously load enhanced profiles of the individuals using wireless technology. Moreover, it can also automatically convey tailored instructions and cues according to the expertise level. This way, it guides them through certain practical tasks. It allows employees to function at their convenience and flexibility with enhanced accuracy.
Cobotics is expected to be the natural forthcoming advancement in the manufacturing sector. It permits for a combination of skilled roles. It helps people to make more strategic and larger decisions and delegate intricate and repetitive features of production.
The factory that is following the future technology –automation would enhance and motivate employees to work in a safe manner with maintained accuracy and at greater speed. It results in increased quality and productivity.
In BAE systems, the cobotic workstation is an important part of their manufacturing division. They have plans to integrate and incorporate manufacturing machinery into workspace like multifunction technology, reconfigurable, augmented reality, 3D printing, and manufacturing autonomy.
BAE Systems have cooperated with several partners including Siemens and Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre of University of Sheffield who offer MindSphere software. The software associate technologies along with the output manufacturing and workstation data. It helps the engineers improve and analyze the next level of manufacturing processes.
BAE systems play an active part in the development and manufacturing of the most innovative combat aircraft in the world that includes F 35 Lightning II and Eurofighter Typhoon.
Cobots Are Ideal Even For Harsh Environments
The thermal spray manager at ATI (Aircraft Tooling Inc.) in Dallas, Texas was in need of a rugged system. He wanted something sturdy and tough to manage the heat and dust of HVOF (high-velocity oxygen fuel) and plasma spray so as to paint aviation parts. The manager did not have any idea about the cobots. He was surprised to see cobots performing better than the traditional industrial robots.
The cost of traditional robots is expensive. He used cast iron models which looked bulky. He commented that it was hard to move from one cell to another. Moreover, traditional robots are challenging to program. It requires a lot of safety guarding. It could not function in small spray cells.
His company has purchased the latest cobots and it was able to reach the spray distance easily. Moreover, the cost of cobots was half the price of traditional robots. It is portable and user-friendly. It has excellent safety features which you do not have to do anything extra. The arms of the cobot automatically stop when it encounters people or objects within its route. Here – https://www.aerospacemanufacturinganddesign.com/article/cobots-for-harsh-environments/ – check out more about cobots in aerospace industry.