Sara Eastwood

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About

Sara Eastwood is a specialist in aerospace manufacturing automation, with a research focus on robotic assembly systems, end-effector design, and precision manufacturing for the aerospace industry. Her most influential contribution, "Automated Aerostructure Assembly" (2005), has garnered 55 citations and stands as a landmark study in the application of standard industrial robots to aerostructure sub-assembly and solid riveting processes. This work demonstrated how purpose-built end-effectors could be seamlessly integrated into automated workflows, offering practical pathways to reduce manual labor in complex aerospace manufacturing environments. Building on this foundation, Eastwood developed and validated a dedicated fuselage panel assembly and riveting cell, documented across multiple publications including her 2003 and 2006 papers, which trace the progression from flexible multi-robot riveting concepts through to full system testing on Regional Jet fuselage panels. Her 2010 paper on gravitational deflection compensation strategies for High Performance Kinematic Machines (HPKMs) reflects her broader commitment to improving positional accuracy in robotic aerospace applications. Collectively, her body of work has shaped modern thinking around flexible, automated aerospace assembly, making her a key figure for students and practitioners exploring smart manufacturing and robotic integration in high-precision industries.