The project will develop novel aerospace manufacturing processes using industrial robots. Its aim is to reduce jig and mold complexity, thereby reducing cost and increasing design flexibility for aerospace structural parts. Multi-robot setups are used to produce and weld complex-curved carbon fiber reinforced plastics, using Automated Fiber Placement and ultrasonic welding. Robot accuracy is enhanced through dynamic parameter identification, modeling and real-time error compensation to reach the demands of multi-robot manufacturing.
Part of this unique approach is the international collaboration between theNational Research Council of Canada and the German Aerospace Center(DLR). DLRs own Center for Lightweight Production Technology (ZLP) willsupport the research with its extensive know-how regarding structuralcomponents for aircrafts, thermoplastic CFPR production processes andautomatic offline robot programming. Whereas the National Research Center will contribute its complex robotic compensation models to enhance the robotic hardware.
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