The next generation of aircraft is getting ready for take-off

Premium AEROTEC spent around two years working with the Augsburg-based robotics specialists Kuka and other partners on the design and installation of the new production plant. The aim is to create a basis for lower manufacturing costs and higher volumes. In order to achieve this, Premium AEROTEC is automating the production and longitudinal assembly of partial shells for the rear fuselage section of Airbus’ A320 family.

In total the plant comprises three robots and three drilling/riveting machines. The reduced waiting times and lower demands on logistics between individual processing steps – by components being transported to the next step without the use of a hangar crane, for example – result in lower throughput times. What is more, the assembly sites are digitally networked. For this, various measuring systems are incorporated into the robots and riveting machines, which then monitor the manufacturing process and store component-related process and plant information. This makes quality assurance easier and facilitates preventative maintenance.

In future, the riveting of stringers, clips and edge beams to the outer skin of the partial shells will be undertaken in a fully automated process in robot-based riveting cells in this new plant. Transportation of the partial shells in connection with this processing step will also be fully automated. The partial shells are subsequently assembled into half-sections. Test operation was completed successfully and the new production line is now being put into operation for serial production.

Premium AEROTEC recorded turnover of 2 billion euros in 2016. Its core business is the design and construction of aircraft structures in metal and carbon fibre composite material. The company has production plants in Augsburg, Bremen, Nordenham and Varel in Germany as well as Braşov in Romania. Further information available at www.premium-aerotec.com.