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Cutting Seat Cost via RTM
Part of what makes the
robot so accurate is TME's
"intelligent automation." "We
integrate a camera into the
robotic arm," says Thimon,
"so that vision inspection is
completed during preform-
ing operations. When you
unroll material, it will check
fiber orientation. It will
also inspect during pick-
and-place layup for fine
positioning of the ply onto
the tool/preform and for
other defects in this part
of the process, such as
missing plies and incorrect
fiber orientation." IAI has
worked with CAC to vali-
date the inspection results.
"It compares the visual images taken by the camera with
the computer design file and shows any deviation," says
Rosenfeld. "CAC has developed a very good algorithm for
this, and we have verified how well it works."
Although cycle time has already been reduced to one
completed RTM seat per
8.5-hr shift, Rosenfeld
believes robotic inspec-
tion can eventually further
reduce manual inspec-
tion times for even faster
production. The auto-
mated RTM process also
produces net-shaped parts
with a high-quality finish
on both sides, so the only
post-molding operation is
drilling a few holes. "We
will also keep looking at
newer resins that cure more
quickly, like in automotive,"
notes Rosenfeld.
"We have a very strong
design group at IAI," he
says. "Now we have a stron-
ger manufacturing technology, and can extend this to other
types of seats as well as aerodynamic surfaces and aero-
assemblies, such as flaps, doors and rudders."
Read more online | short.compositesworld.com/1PieceRudd and
short.compositesworld.com/SmartPandP
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Source | Israel Aerospace Industries
and Techni-Modul Engineering