High performance robotic drilling and inspection systems for aerospace composite manufacturing

Manufacturing of aerospace composite structures requires drilling of thousands of holes for rivet and bolt attachments. Traditionally, required holes have been drilled and inspected manually, which is extremely time-consuming, inconsistent due to human error, and potentially hazardous to workers. The proposed research will develop a high performance robotic drilling and inspection technology for aerospace composite manufacturing. In order to improve hole quality in robotic drilling, a novel two-axis actuator will be developed to actively measure and suppress robot vibrations during operation. Advanced optimization techniques will be developed to maximize productivity and quality in robotic drilling. Finally, an intelligent inspection technology will be developed to autonomously inspect the accuracy and quality of drilled holes without a need for human intervention. The proposed robotic technology will help Canadian aerospace manufactures improve the productivity and quality of their drilling operations, thus giving them a leading edge over the global competition.

Faculty Supervisor:

Matt Khoshdarregi;Olanrewaju Ojo

Student:

Michael Newman;Jasper Arthur;Seyedali Maghami

Partner:

TetraGen Robotics Inc

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Manitoba