When automated machines are used in aircraft construction today, they are primarily heavy, individually tailored gantry systems that slowly slide over the components on rails. The disadvantages: The systems are costly, inflexible, have high non-productive times and therefore low productivity.

The mobile robot developed by the partners can approach the aircraft components independently and carry out all the necessary work there, such as measuring, milling, drilling and joining. The system can be used universally and can be quickly and flexibly adjusted to shape deviations, product and type changes. While previous robots failed at such tasks due to the high demands of aviation in terms of accuracy, this is no problem for the new robot: the deviations during processing are up to 0.2 millimetres.

"The long-term, strategic cooperation between Fraunhofer and Siemens has set a new benchmark in the aerospace sector in terms of the precision of mobile 6-axis industrial robots. This system represents an important building block in the digitalization and automation portfolio of the aerospace industry," says Prof. Reimund Neugebauer, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. "The intensive collaboration, which we also want to expand in other subject areas, will include both joint preliminary research and the development of prototypes in order to provide further impetus for the expansion of digitalization and automation for Germany as a business location."

During a management meeting at the Hannover Messe 2018, Fraunhofer and Siemens discussed joint fields of work, core topics and prospects.

"Siemens and Fraunhofer IFAM want to continue to expand their traditionally good cooperation in the future. An excellent example of this is the production-analog research environment for aircraft assembly at the CFK NORD research center in Stade. In addition to conventional aircraft production, there are a large number of automated process chains that have been specially designed and built with networking for Industry 4.0 in mind. In this model factory, processes are implemented both in real life and as a digital twin based on Siemens technologies," emphasizes Klaus Helmrich, member of the Siemens Managing Board.

At Hannover Messe 2018, Siemens will use numerous examples to show how users and consumers can exploit the potential of Industry 4.0 by implementing digital enterprise solutions. The focus is on the industry-specific implementation of digital enterprise solutions across the entire life cycle, including a highlight showcase from the aerospace sector, which demonstrates the mobile robot in action. "The mobile, high-precision robot system that we are presenting at the center of our stand at this year's Hannover Messe demonstrates the full potential of the Digital Enterprise in combination with the Siemens software, automation and drive portfolios," says Helmrich.

With the world's most precise 6-axis industrial robot on AGV, the experts for automation and production technology at Fraunhofer IFAM were able to secure second place in the Robotics Award 2018 on behalf of all project partners.

The system for milling large components, which allows standard industrial robots to be upgraded to mobile CNC milling robots, impressed the jury with its modular design on a highly rigid mobile platform (AGV) and the integration of technologies to increase accuracy. The mobile and flexible system enables highly productive precision machining and can therefore replace space-consuming gantry systems. A low investment volume and increased productivity can be used primarily in the production of large components or in industrial mold making. The award ceremony took place on April 24, 2018 in the Automation Forum, Hall 14, Stand L19. The Robotics Award was presented by Dr Bernd Althusmann, Lower Saxony's Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour, Transport and Digitalization. kp