Development of a Human-Robot-Collaboration System using the Example of a Riveting Process in Aircraft Assembly

Abstract

Assembly processes in aircraft production are particularly difficult to automate due to a variety of technical challenges including, small batch sizes, large product dimensions, small tolerances, and limited work space. Fully automated systems are expensive and require a large amount of servicing effort during their life time. The developed solution is therefore a semi-automated approach based on Human-Robot-Collaboration (HRC). In the assembly of the aft section of the aircraft the pressure bulkhead must be mounted to the section barrel. During this task, operators must fasten hundreds of rivets. This assembly task is non-ergonomic and current practices require two humans to work cooperatively under burdensome conditions. The alleviation of such work can be achieved through the use of a collaborative scheme between operators and robots.