Automated Fastening of Aircraft Cargo Door Structures with a Standard Articulating Robot System

Abstract

<div class="htmlview paragraph">The demand of flexible and cost-efficient solutions for automated fastening systems inspired us to develop the robot and end-effector technology to fulfil the customer's requirement for a highly accurate, automated robot based drill and fastening system for an aerospace application.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">This paper describes an innovative robot cell for drilling and solid riveting installation in cargo door structures of a single aisle aircraft at EUROCOPTER in Germany. The required absolute positioning accuracy is reached by using a special compensation package for the robot that was developed by BROETJE-Automation. Our customer's application required a completely new type of end-effector; installing solid rivets and capable of operating within the inner structure of the cargo doors. This solution demonstrates how standard robots equipped with a mature compensation method by BROETJE-Automation resulted in a highly flexible and cost-efficient light weight automation response.</div>