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Airbus is in the midst of revolutionary changes that may lead the aerospace giant to spend more than $1 billion on robotics, automation and digitalisation technologies across its global operation in the next few years – that’s if the advances at the company’s Hamburg, Germany facility are duplicated in all its facilities worldwide.
The multinational consortium could end up spending a lot more: for example, the final stages of its internal assembly is labour-intensive, with all equipment – seats and luggage compartments – installed by humans. If this stage is roboticised, as the company’s chief operating officer has suggested, it would fundamentally change the current production process, something which he is envisaging anyway.
Robotic technologies have already transformed the way Airbus manufactures the exterior shell of its planes. Whereas, in the past, human workers would have drilled the 6,000 or more external holes in the fuselage of a typical commercial airliner, now, robots not only drill them, they also rivet or fasten them.
Perhaps surprisingly to some readers, the drilling was done by humans all these years until now, and even now, it’s only at the Hamburg facility that robots have been brought in.
Last week, Airbus provided more insight into its highly automated aircraft manufacturing facility in Hamburg – a place called Finkenwerder, to be precise, at what’s described as a “private airport”.
The aerospace jumbo invited a small group of journalists, including one from Robotics and Automation News, for a visit to the vast, sprawling complex, and a detailed, guided tour of Hangar 245, the advanced manufacturing facility in which aircraft belonging to the “A320 Family”, as Airbus describes them, are currently being assembled. [Read more…] about Special feature: Tour of Airbus’ advanced manufacturing facility in Germany
B&R has integrated its “industrialPhysics” simulation tool into its Automation Studio engineering environment.
The company says the 3D simulation software greatly simplifies model-based machine development, enabling easier digital twin development.
B&R says developers can import CAD data from machine components or entire machines directly into the simulation tool, and then they can quickly and easily generate a digital twin for developing and testing the machine software. [Read more…] about B&R unveils new simulation tool for digital twin development
The first all-electric configuration of NASA’s X-57 Maxwell now is at the space agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.
The X-57, NASA’s first all-electric experimental aircraft, or X-plane – and the first crewed X-plane in two decades – was delivered by Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero) of San Luis Obispo, California on Wednesday, October 2, in the first of three configurations as an all-electric aircraft, known as Modification II, or Mod II.
The X-57’s Mod II vehicle features the replacement of traditional combustion engines on a baseline Tecnam P2006T aircraft, with electric cruise motors. [Read more…] about NASA takes delivery of first all-electric experimental aircraft
Geek+ Robotics, the world’s leading supplier of warehouse robots, has been providing technical insights into its latest innovations at a forum on the sidelines of IMHX, the ongoing intralogistics technology show being held in the UK.
Senior executives from Geek+, which has sold more than 7,000 warehouse robots since its inception five years ago, presented a variety of solutions that will add completely new functionalities to its current offerings.
Some of the ideas are still at the idea stage, while others are being developed in partnership with clients in the logistics and manufacturing industries. [Read more…] about Geek+ Robotics provides innovation insights at technical forum on sidelines of IMHX
IMHX is one of the largest trade shows aimed at the intralogistics sector in the UK. Held in Birmingham, the event features more than 450 exhibitors and attracts more than 16,000 industry experts over its four-day duration, from September 24th to 27th.
As with the other events Robotics and Automation News has covered over the past year or two, IMHX is seeing an increasing number of robotics and automation solutions sharing the stage with technologies that have been established for a lot longer.
Longer-established technologies can be said to be the ones that brought about “mechanised” automation, which has become more sophisticated over time, integrating electronics and computer technologies into it. [Read more…] about IMHX provides platform for more robotics and automation technologies
Yamaha’s agricultural technology investments leader says he is observing the vertical farming market with a view to backing startups in the sector. (See video below.)
In a wide-ranging interview with Robotics and Automation News, Nolan Paul, partner, global agricultural technology lead at Yamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon Valley, says he finds vertical farming
“Vertical farming is one of those technologies which has the ability to transform the way food is grown and consumed,” says Paul. [Read more…] about Yamaha looking to invest in vertical farming companies
Pictured above, in exploded view, is a machinery component called the “LiveDrive”. It’s covered by a variety of patents and has been described as “revolutionary” because it could – believe it or not – change the world.
First unveiled about three years ago, the LiveDrive is a completely new type of direct-drive motor which can provide robots with more power without using as much electricity, lubrication or space – significant savings in each of those areas and perhaps others. Direct-drive motors do not use gearboxes, but to date, their limited torque means that they have only been suitable for a limited range of applications.
In overly simplistic terms, the LiveDrive is to robots what engines are to cars – it enables machines to move. And critically, it has far greater torque, according to its makers; and can generate this without the need for traditional gears, which have teeth that require lubrication, make a lot of noise, and wear out eventually. LiveDrive uses a patented combination and composition of magnets to achieve what traditional drives and motors achieve by using gears and other mechanisms. [Read more…] about This component could profoundly change robots and other machines in the future
Motlow State Community College in McMinnville, Tennessee is a new member of the ABB Robotics Affiliate Education Program.
ABB instructors have already begun teaching certificate training classes at the recently built Automation & Robotic Training Center (ARTC) adjacent to the Motlow campus.
The 12,500 square-foot ARTC has a dedicated ABB Robotics lab equipped with six 6-axis ABB robots and robot controllers, and all the necessary software and peripheral equipment to teach ABB customers how to program and operate ABB industrial robots. [Read more…] about Motlow College becomes an ABB Robotics Education affiliate
FemtoPrint, a Swiss company specialising in microtechnology, has won the 2019 Exhibitors’ Grand Prix at the EPHJ event.
The young Ticino company impressed the judges with its “SPOT-RVC”, which has been described as a “real innovation in the medical technology market and a beacon of hope for the 16 million people worldwide with retinal vein occlusion”.
The Safe Puncture Optimized Tool (SPOT), designed by FemtoPrint, aims to safely inject a drug that dissolves clots in the retinal veins without harming tissue, thanks to a new high-precision miniaturised medical tool. [Read more…] about FemtoPrint wins the 2019 Exhibitors’ Grand Prix at EPHJ
