The scope of this report will document the various voltage levels and provide a rational for each level as discussed and agreed to in the AE-7 committee.

AE-7C Systems

Changing How the Aerospace Industry Makes Parts

TBMG-3568412/01/2019

Technology that increases production rates and part quality, while reducing setup times and costs, is seeing a surge in demand within the aerospace sector as the commercial aircraft backlog continues to grow.

11 Reasons to Use Automated Metrology

2019-01-136903/19/2019

Aerospace structures manufacturers find themselves frequently engaged in large-scale 3D metrology operations, conducting precision measurements over a volume expressed in meters or tens of meters. Such measurements are often done by metrologists or other measurement experts and may be done in a somewhat ad-hoc fashion, i.e., executed in the most appropriate method according to the lights of the individual conducting the measurement. This approach is certainly flexible but there are arguments for invoking a more rigorous process. Production processes, in particular, demand an automated process for all such “routine” measurements. Automated metrology offers a number of advantages including enabling data configuration management, de-skilling of operation, real time input data error checking, enforcement of standards, consistent process execution and automated data archiving. It also reduces training, setup time, data manipulation and analysis time and improves reporting. This paper draws

Flynn, Robert, Miller, Carson

A Phased Approach to Optimized Robotic Assembly for the 777X

2019-01-137503/19/2019

Low rate initial production of the 777X flight control surfaces and wing edges has been underway at the Boeing St. Louis site since early 2017. Drilling, inspection, and temporary fastening tasks are performed by automated multi-function robotic systems supplied by Electroimpact. On the heels of the successful implementation of the initial four (4) systems, Phases II and III are underway to meet increasing production demands with three (3) and four (4) new cells coming online, respectively. Assemblies are dedicated to particular cells for higher-rate production, while all systems are designed for commonality offering strategic backup capability. Safe operation and equipment density are optimized through the use of electronic safeguards. New time-saving process capabilities allow for one-up drilling, hole inspection, fastening, fastener inspection, and stem shaving. Multi-function end effectors with dual spindles permits drilling and reaming within a single clamp, and hybrid cutting

Mir, Ryan, DeVlieg, Russell

RDI Laser Blanking Systems

1186404/26/2018

The RDI Laser Blanking Systems is a patented technology that combines nonstop coil feeding with high power fiber laser. Ideal for cutting metal, our innovative system reduces the cost-per-part, utilizes a variety of material, eliminates die and die maintenance, and increases material savings while reducing scrap, labor and material handling costs.

Automation in Simulation Process: Simplifying the Complexity in Vehicle Design

2018-01-047104/03/2018

General Motors (GM) vehicle design operations group has envisioned that all designers and Design Engineers (DEs) should be able to analyze simple and single components and produce robust subsystem parts to support full vehicle system analysis. This vision is achieved by developing the Smart Simulation Tool (SST) within the Siemens NX CAD system. This tool empowers the designers to take charge of simple parts and produce high quality parts first time. This tool will also make both design and engineering analysis organizations at General Motors more efficient and productive. This paper describes the Smart Simulation Tool that was developed to automate the pre and post processing tasks of the Siemens NX Advanced Simulation process. Generally, the simulation process consumes a lot of designer’s time for building the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) models, typically one to two hours and is very tedious and has the potential for errors. The Smart Simulation tool has automated analysis tasks

Nallapati, Sankar, Kenny, Lisa, Wilkinson, David

Optical Bonding of Automotive Smart Surfaces

TBMG-2834002/01/2018

Behr Hella Thermo Control (BHTC) of Lippstadt, Germany, manufactures automotive interior components. As the demand for smarter cars increases, BHTC encountered a new automotive interior challenge: optical bonding of automotive smart surfaces. The challenge of optical bonding led to a working relationship with Precision Valve and Automotive (PVA) of Cohoes, NY, to meet BHTC’s production and flexibility needs.

High Volume Automated Spar Assembly Line (SAL)

2017-01-207309/19/2017

The decision to replace a successful automated production system at the heart of a high volume aircraft factory does not come easily. A point is reached when upgrades and retrofits are insufficient to meet increasing capacity demands and additional floor space is simply unavailable. The goals of this project were to increase production volume, reduce floor space usage, improve the build process, and smooth factory flow without disrupting today’s manufacturing. Two decades of lessons learned were leveraged along with advancements in the aircraft assembly industry, modern machine control technologies, and maturing safety standards to justify the risk and expense of a ground-up redesign. This paper will describe how an automated wing spar fastening system that has performed well for 20 years is analyzed and ultimately replaced without disturbing the high manufacturing rate of a single aisle commercial aircraft program.

Calawa, Rick, Smith, Gavin

Drilling Material Stacks: Can it be both automated and affordable?

SN-000106/26/2017

Automating a manufacturing process often comes with substantial investment or sustained operational costs of complex subsystems. But, by reducing complexity and using technologically mature components, it is possible to develop viable scaled and robust automated solutions. For the past several years, aerospace manufacturers have endeavored to automate manufacturing processes as much as possible for both production efficiencies and competitive advantage. Automating processes like drilling, fastening, sealing, painting, and composite material production have reaped a wide range of benefits; from improving quality and productivity to lowering worker ergonomic risks. The results have improved supply chains from small component manufacturers all the way up to airframe assemblers. That said, automation can be very expensive, and difficult to introduce when a product is anywhere beyond the beginning of its life cycle. In this Solution Notes, engineers address those two challenges with a mix

Four Ways to improve Production by Understanding the Physics of Servos

TBMG-2669404/01/2017

There is always a need to increase production in automation applications. Sometimes achieving improvements requires breaking the process down to its fundamental basics. The science behind the technology of servo-based motion control systems should be considered when attempting to eliminate inefficiencies. Four fundamentals to examine are inertia, resonance, vibration suppression, and regeneration.

Glass Fibers with Potential Far Beyond Transmitting Light

TBMG-2622501/01/2017

Glass fibers do everything from connecting us to the Internet to enabling keyhole surgery by delivering light through an endoscope. But as versatile as today’s fiber optics are, scientists around the world have been working to expand their capabilities by adding semiconductor core materials to the glass fibers.

New Tube-Cutting Technology Meets Next-Generation Production Needs

TBMG-2557710/01/2016

Stents and hypodermic tubes (hypotubes) are used in countless applications, and the demand is growing rapidly in response to the continued demand for stent applications and growth of minimally invasive surgery. The sheer number and diversity of devices is rapidly increasing, and with it, the demand for more laser-cut stents, flexible tubing, cannulas and micro cannulas, needles, biopsy devices, and other minimally invasive tools. Figure 1 shows examples that represent common features of modern stents.

System and Method for Space Utilization Optimization and Visualization

TBMG-2552110/01/2016

NASA’s Langley Research Center has developed a space-allocation and planning software system to allow for more effective and efficient facility usage. It also provides a customizable strategy for organizing personnel and project teams to maximize productivity and synergies among employees. Cost-reduction solutions are suggested based on organizational input constraints related to the facility. The program uses a standard Web browser to allow for visualization of an entire organization down to individual rooms. The planning tool is based on algorithms that were developed using ArcGIS software and Visual Basic codes, which enable evaluation of different space-management scenarios in real time.

Automated FML Manufacturing for Aircraft Fuselages

2016-01-211209/27/2016

As a new material FML, made by aluminum foils and Glasfiber-Prepreg, is a real alternative to common materials for fuselages of aircrafts like monolithic aluminum or CFRP. Since experiences within A380 this material has some really good advantages and develops to the status as alternative to aluminum and composite structures. To become FML as a real alternative to aluminum and carbon structures there are many things to improve: design, material, costs and process chain. So following one of the main goals for an industrial application for high production rates of aircrafts is the automation of production processes inside the process chain for FML-parts like skins and panels for fuselages. To reach this goal for high production rates first steps of automation inside this new process chain have been developed in the last two years. Main steps is the automated lay-up of metallic foils and Glasfiber-Prepreg. Over this there are some more steps within positioning of i.e. stringers and

Apmann, Hilmar

Mobile Robot Assembly Cell (RACe) for Drilling and Fastening

2016-01-207809/27/2016

The demand of flexible and cost-efficient solutions for automated fastening systems inspired us, the BROETJE-Automation, 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. This paper describes an innovative mobile robot platform for multiple uses in aviation industry. The base platform will be equipped with suitable modular units to meet the requirements of each customer exactly. The required absolute positioning accuracy is reached by using a special compensation package for the robot that was developed by BROETJE Automation. Several aircraft manufacturers are operating with this mobile cell works on single aisle and twin aisle programs. This solution demonstrates how standard robots equipped with a mature compensation method resulted in a highly flexible and cost-efficient light weight automation response.

Logemann, Torsten

Predicting Impact Damage, Residual Strength and Crashworthiness of Composite Structures

2016-01-049704/05/2016

The development of the latest generation of wide-body carbon-fibre composite passenger aircraft has heralded a new era in the utilisation of these materials. The premise of superior specific strength and stiffness, corrosion and fatigue resistance, is tempered by high development costs, slow production rates and lengthy and expensive certification programmes. Substantial effort is currently being directed towards the development of new modelling and simulation tools, at all levels of the development cycle, to mitigate these shortcomings. One of the primary challenges is to reduce the extent of physical testing, in the certification process, by adopting a ‘certification by simulation’ approach. In essence, this aspirational objective requires the ability to reliably predict the evolution and progression of damage in composites. The aerospace industry has been at the forefront of developing advanced composites modelling tools. As the automotive industry transitions towards the increased

Falzon, Brian, Tan, Wei

Development of Robust Anti-chipping Performance Primer for Various Application Process Conditions

2016-01-053604/05/2016

Chipping performance of body paint on a vehicle has become increasingly important in harsher climates such as North America and Russia. Stones can cause body paint to chip down to substrate and expose bare metal, which can then lead to corrosion. The primer layer serves not only as the adhesion promoter between metal substrate and topcoat, but also secures overall chipping performance of the coating system. The benefits of a softer body primer have been established and described in Bock and Engbert’s SAE paper “Waterborne Polyurethane Based Paint Materials for the Automotive Industry - Present Situation and Future Possibilities - ,”[1], however, the challenge exists in accommodating various application process conditions. This paper describes the balancing of developing a robust high chipping performance body primer with lower glass transition temperature (Tg) and higher damping efficiency (tan delta), while maintaining critical process parameters such as reparability and indirect

Gidcumb, Yuko N., Kubish, Scott, Templeman, Cynthia, Richards, George, Ikeura, Yukihiro

Executive Perspectives: Robotics

TBMG-2429303/01/2016

CHETAN KAPOOR Senior Director of Technology Innovation Yaskawa America, Motoman Robotics Division Miamisburg, OH

Aerospace & Defense Technology: Feb 2016

16AERP0202/01/2016

Clamoring for more entertainment Connected consumers drive demand for bandwidth, though seatback entertainment remains popular. Fighting for life in military markets Airbus Defense & Space is looking to revitalize and ramp up production rates of its military aircraft portfolio.

New pulse lines for LEAP engine production

15MEIP12_0912/01/2015

During the recent Paris Air Show, French engine manufacturer Snecma announced significant investment in a new assembly facility to meet the unprecedented level of customer demand for the new LEAP engine, which is being developed as part of the CFM partnership with GE to power the latest re-engined versions of the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families and the new Chinese COMAC 919 airliner. At the time of the announcement, before another flood of 500+ orders were declared at Paris, there were already more than 8900 orders and commitments for the new engine, a year before entry into service.

Gardner, Richard

Technology Review of Thermal Forming Techniques for use in Composite Component Manufacture

2015-01-261009/15/2015

There is a growing demand for composites to be utilised in the production of large-scale components within the aerospace industry. In particular the demand to increase production rates indicates that traditional manual methods are no longer sufficient, and automated solutions must be sought. This typically leads to automated forming processes where there are a limited number of effective options. The need for forming typically arises from the inability of layup methods to produce complex geometries of structural components. This paper reviews the current state of the art in automated forming processes, their limitations and variables that affect performance in the production of large scale components. In particular the paper will focus on the application of force and heat within secondary forming processes. It will then review the effects of these variables against the structure of the required composite component and identify viability of the technology. Through this, an understanding

Land, Patrick, Crossley, Richard, Branson, David, Ratchev, Svetan

Reconfigurable Assembly System Design Methodology: A Wing Assembly Case Study

2015-01-259409/15/2015

Current assembly systems that deal with large, complex structures present a number of challenges with regard to improving operational performance. Specifically, aerospace assembly systems comprise a vast array of interrelated elements interacting in a myriad of ways, resulting in a deeply complex process that requires a multi-disciplined team of engineers. The current approach to ramp-up production rate involves building additional main assembly fixtures which require large investment and lead times up to 24 months. Within Airbus Operations Ltd there is a requirement to improve the capacity and flexibility of assembly systems, thereby reducing non-recurring costs and time-to-market. Recent trends to improve manufacturing agility advocate Reconfigurable Assembly Systems (RAS) as a viable solution. Yet, adding reconfigurability to assembly systems further increases both the operational and design complexity. Despite the increase in complexity for reconfigurable assembly, few formal

Jefferson, Thomas G., Benardos, Panorios, Ratchev, Svetan

Panel Assembly Line (PAL) for High Production Rates

2015-01-249209/15/2015

Developing the most advanced wing panel assembly line for very high production rates required an innovative and integrated solution, relying on the latest technologies in the industry. Looking back at over five decades of commercial aircraft assembly, a clear and singular vision of a fully integrated solution was defined for the new panel production line. The execution was to be focused on co-developing the automation, tooling, material handling and facilities while limiting the number of parties involved. Using the latest technologies in all these areas also required a development plan, which included pre-qualification at all stages of the system development. Planning this large scale project included goals not only for the final solution but for the development and implementation stages as well. The results: Design/build philosophy reduced project time and the number of teams involved. This allowed for easier communication and extended development time well into the project. All

Assadi, Michael, Dobbs, Samuel, Stewart, Brian, Hollowell, Sean, Elsholz, Joseph

Getting it RIGHT with composites

15MEIP09_0409/01/2015

With composites now a mainstay in most new aircraft designs, the engineering emphasis has switched from understanding if they work to thinking through the most efficient way to manufacture them, such as using design-for-manufacturing software. “Composite design and analysis is a highly integrated activity,” said Chris Gear, Chief Technology Officer & Senior Technical Fellow for GKN Aerospace. He noted that how composite material is placed, how it moves, how it cures, and the quality and conformance of the product are all inter-related. All of these factors are considered in the final release of the data for manufacturing, he said, aided by design-for-manufacturing (DFM). Complicating manufacturing optimization is the very nature of advanced composites, requiring a unique design process, unlike isotropic, homogenous metal. Controlling fiber orientation and number of layers of fiber embedded in a plastic matrix is vital for its performance. Initial CAD definitions that specify the outer

Morey, Bruce

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of n-Heptane Pyrolysis using Adaptive Hyperdynamics Method

2015-01-181209/01/2015

Recently, reactive molecular dynamics methods (e.g., ReaxFF) have been developed and have enabled the investigation of complex reactive systems. However, these applications for hydrocarbon pyrolysis and combustion are limited to high-temperature regions (>2000 K) due to time-scale limitations in molecular dynamics methods. Recently, we proposed an “adaptive hyperdynamics (AHD) method” to overcome this issue and simulate reactions at middle to low temperatures. In this study, we apply the AHD method to study n-heptane pyrolysis in a temperature range of 1000-2500 K using ReaxFF. Reasonable agreement is obtained between this method, a detailed chemical kinetic model and experiments for pressure and temperature dependent rate constants and decomposition product distributions. These results indicate that AHD and ReaxFF can be useful tools to assist development of kinetic reaction mechanisms.

Hirai, Hirotoshi

SAE Optimizing Productivity, Safety and Life-Cycle Savings for Hand-Held Powered Tools

1204508/28/2015

Sales in the U.S. of powered hand tools are estimated at $10.9 billion per year and represent a significant investment for most industries. Powered hand tools are essential, however, approaches to optimize productivity, reduce life-cycle costs and protect users from acute trauma or long-term occupational disease vary greatly and are often not fully applied. Work quality, rate of production and life-cycle costs depend upon initial quality, user education and tool maintenance. This video features an interactive discussion on the interplay of productivity, life-cycle cost management and safety/health factors in design, selection and use of powered hand tools. The presentations will enable you to apply the new Aerospace Standard, AS6228 (Safety Requirements for Procurement, Maintenance and Use of Hand-held Powered Tools) to improve productivity and safety while lowering the total costs of ownership.

Getting It Right with Composites

15AERP06_0206/01/2015

With composites now a mainstay in most new aircraft designs, the engineering emphasis has switched from understanding if they work to thinking through the most efficient way to manufacture them, such as using design-for-manufacturing software. “Composite design and analysis is a highly integrated activity,” said Chris Gear, Chief Technology Officer & Senior Technical Fellow for GKN Aerospace. He noted that how composite material is placed, how it moves, how it cures, and the quality and conformance of the product are all interrelated. All of these factors are considered in the final release of the data for manufacturing, according to him, aided by design-for-manufacturing (DFM). Complicating manufacturing optimization is the very nature of advanced composites, requiring a unique design process, unlike isotropic, homogenous metal. Controlling fiber orientation and number of layers of fiber embedded in a plastic matrix is vital for its performance. Initial CAD definitions that specify

Morey, Bruce

Getting It Right with Composites

TBMG-2229506/01/2015

"Composite design and analysis is a highly integrated activity,” said Chris Gear, Chief Technology Officer & Senior Technical Fellow for GKN Aerospace. He noted that how composite material is placed, how it moves, how it cures, and the quality and conformance of the product are all interrelated. All of these factors are considered in the final release of the data for manufacturing, according to him, aided by design-for-manufacturing (DFM).

Practical Implementation of the Two-Measurement Correction Method in Automotive Wind Tunnels

2015-01-153004/14/2015

In recent years, there has been renewed attention focused on open jet correction methods, in particular on the two-measurement method of E. Mercker, K. Cooper, and co-workers. This method accounts for blockage and static pressure gradient effects in automotive wind tunnels and has been shown by both computations and experiments to appropriately adjust drag coefficients towards an on-road condition, thus allowing results from different wind tunnels to be compared on a more equitable basis. However, most wind tunnels have yet to adopt the method as standard practice due to difficulties in practical application. In particular, it is necessary to measure the aerodynamic forces on every vehicle configuration in two different static pressure gradients to capture that portion of the correction. Building on earlier proof-of-concept work, this paper demonstrates a practical method for implementing the two-measurement procedure and demonstrates how it can be used for production testing. The

Lounsberry, Todd, Walter, Joel

NASA's Hot 100 Technologies

TBMG-21124

12/01/2014

NASA’s Technology Transfer Program is a true national asset. It brings together the space agency’s most capable problem-solvers with America’s brightest commercial and entrepreneurial leaders in partnerships that transfer groundbreaking NASA technologies to the public. It provides solutions for challenges in the fields of health and medicine, industrial production, communications, transportation, consumer goods, public safety, and many more. And, in so doing, it helps create new products, new markets, and new jobs that enhance the quality of life in America and fuel the U.S. economy.