Assembly of Compliant Structures with Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulators (AIMM) Using an End Effector with Active Deformation Compensation for the Assembly of Flaps
Composite structures in aeroplanes are often thin-walled and lightweight, resulting in significant compliance, which presents a handling and assembly challenge due to the associated part deformations. In order to counteract these deformations, the parts are held in their specified geometry using sti...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Machines |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/10/5/291 |
| _version_ | 1797498373018746880 |
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| author | Maximilian Neitmann Tom Rothe Erik Kappel Christian Hühne |
| author_facet | Maximilian Neitmann Tom Rothe Erik Kappel Christian Hühne |
| author_sort | Maximilian Neitmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Composite structures in aeroplanes are often thin-walled and lightweight, resulting in significant compliance, which presents a handling and assembly challenge due to the associated part deformations. In order to counteract these deformations, the parts are held in their specified geometry using stiff and correspondingly heavy fixtures or jigs. Mobile industrial robots are very versatile and widely used in industrial volume production, but they are limited in their payload capacity. High-rate production of large aerospace modules requires highly automated flexible assembly processes. The approach presented in this paper is to combine mobile units with lightweight assembly jigs that have the capability of deformation compensation. The subject of the study is a high-rate assembly process for flap modules using an Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulator (AIMM) and a lightweight end effector. The end effector has a shape compensation function, implemented by an integrated Stewart platform, which enables the compensation of manufacturing tolerances as well as gravity effects. The compensation function is used in a closed loop and counteracts shape deviations by appropriate fixture shape adjustments. The paper reports on the conceptual design of the assembly scenario, the design of the end effector, its realization and the successful experimental demonstration at 1:1 scale. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:32:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2031ebacfd964413be6f22d119477ea5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-1702 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:32:31Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Machines |
| spelling | doaj.art-2031ebacfd964413be6f22d119477ea52023-11-23T11:51:48ZengMDPI AGMachines2075-17022022-04-0110529110.3390/machines10050291Assembly of Compliant Structures with Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulators (AIMM) Using an End Effector with Active Deformation Compensation for the Assembly of FlapsMaximilian Neitmann0Tom Rothe1Erik Kappel2Christian Hühne3Institute of Mechanics and Adaptronics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, GermanyInstitute of Mechanics and Adaptronics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, GermanyInstitute of Composite Structures and Adaptive Systems, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 38108 Braunschweig, GermanyInstitute of Mechanics and Adaptronics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, GermanyComposite structures in aeroplanes are often thin-walled and lightweight, resulting in significant compliance, which presents a handling and assembly challenge due to the associated part deformations. In order to counteract these deformations, the parts are held in their specified geometry using stiff and correspondingly heavy fixtures or jigs. Mobile industrial robots are very versatile and widely used in industrial volume production, but they are limited in their payload capacity. High-rate production of large aerospace modules requires highly automated flexible assembly processes. The approach presented in this paper is to combine mobile units with lightweight assembly jigs that have the capability of deformation compensation. The subject of the study is a high-rate assembly process for flap modules using an Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulator (AIMM) and a lightweight end effector. The end effector has a shape compensation function, implemented by an integrated Stewart platform, which enables the compensation of manufacturing tolerances as well as gravity effects. The compensation function is used in a closed loop and counteracts shape deviations by appropriate fixture shape adjustments. The paper reports on the conceptual design of the assembly scenario, the design of the end effector, its realization and the successful experimental demonstration at 1:1 scale.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/10/5/291Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulator (AIMM)mobile robotcompliant structureslightweight assembly jigstolerance compensationflap-modules |
| spellingShingle | Maximilian Neitmann Tom Rothe Erik Kappel Christian Hühne Assembly of Compliant Structures with Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulators (AIMM) Using an End Effector with Active Deformation Compensation for the Assembly of Flaps Machines Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulator (AIMM) mobile robot compliant structures lightweight assembly jigs tolerance compensation flap-modules |
| title | Assembly of Compliant Structures with Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulators (AIMM) Using an End Effector with Active Deformation Compensation for the Assembly of Flaps |
| title_full | Assembly of Compliant Structures with Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulators (AIMM) Using an End Effector with Active Deformation Compensation for the Assembly of Flaps |
| title_fullStr | Assembly of Compliant Structures with Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulators (AIMM) Using an End Effector with Active Deformation Compensation for the Assembly of Flaps |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assembly of Compliant Structures with Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulators (AIMM) Using an End Effector with Active Deformation Compensation for the Assembly of Flaps |
| title_short | Assembly of Compliant Structures with Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulators (AIMM) Using an End Effector with Active Deformation Compensation for the Assembly of Flaps |
| title_sort | assembly of compliant structures with autonomous industrial mobile manipulators aimm using an end effector with active deformation compensation for the assembly of flaps |
| topic | Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulator (AIMM) mobile robot compliant structures lightweight assembly jigs tolerance compensation flap-modules |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/10/5/291 |
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