Sealing Process on a Large Floor Grid Crossbeam Assembly through Human-Robot Cooperation

Automation of assembly processes in aircraft production is quite difficult and subject to technological challenges and economical risks that arise from manufacturing and organizational boundary conditions. These technological challenges include large product dimensions and a high amount of custom components. The aircraft industry in particular exemplifies these challenges. Aircrafts are produced in low quantities with inflexible and expensive production equipment. ZeMA, the center of mechatronics and automation, is a member of a broader European research network focusing on robotic technology. As part of the TRSE (semi-automated robot welding for single item production) and 4by3 (Modularity, Safety, Usability, Efficiency by Human-Robot Collaboration) research projects, ZeMA uses new process technologies, planning tools, and appropriate equipment in order to enable efficient and customizable automation for various production processes. These automation approaches are specifically applied to the floor grid crossbeam assembly process. One solution for the flexible and skill-based automation of processes required by this sealant application is Human-Robot Cooperation. Human-Robot-Cooperation (HRC) is an approach which allows the operator and robot to work together in an overlapping work space without separation devices. The proposed automation concept seeks to support the operator in the floor grid crossbeam assembly production process with an HRC robot system with a digital projector based visual assistance system to achieve higher process efficiency and improvements in production quality.