Aircraft production and MRO are characterized by small batch sizes, low quantities, complex processes, the highest quality requirements and large workpiece dimensions with prefabrication subject to tolerances. These factors make the use of classic automation approaches difficult. Digitalization offers promising solutions in which intelligent sensor systems form the basis for obtaining information for analytical or data-based models. The actual increase in productivity is realized through task-specific services that are based on these models.

Virtualization of large structure assembly
In the field of aircraft assembly, there is a difference to the assembly of other products manufactured in industrial mass production, particularly in terms of component sizes, cycle times and the form of organization. A large number of process steps often take place in parallel and different assemblies, such as wings or fuselages, are pre-assembled in different plants and only brought together during final assembly. The availability and provision of different data sets is necessary to control such a complex assembly process.

A current research project is pursuing the approach of making this data available in all areas of production with the help of a virtual process chain. The virtualization of the wing equipment is intended to provide comprehensive information on resources, processes and specific components within the large-scale structural assembly and thus enable an assessment of the assembly progress at any time. The resulting database allows an evaluation of product-specific requirements and a reaction to disruptions as well as a short-term adjustment of the current process chain.

One of the core challenges is the acquisition of location- and assembly-specific information. This requires different sensors, which usually have to be configured specifically for each task. With the help of simulation and planning tools to be developed, the sensor system can be used for a variety of components and tasks and the reconfiguration effort for changing boundary conditions in assembly can be reduced.

Automation of MRO processes
In addition to large-scale structural assembly, aircraft MRO, which places the highest demands on the accuracy, completeness and comparability of inspection results, also holds great potential for automation solutions. Up to now, all inspection processes have been characterized by a high proportion of manual work, and the component is not always easily accessible. The extent of the different types of damage that can be detected on the component requires conscientious documentation. To this end, a further research project is investigating minimally invasive solutions for acquiring a digital damage image and the associated automated inspection and reporting. The evaluation of current sensor technologies is leading to the development of a combined sensor system based on different measuring principles in order to obtain precise 3D information on the components to be measured. Challenges arise in particular due to the high measurement accuracy required and the particularly small installation space available for guiding the sensors. The technologies used for this come from the fields of robotics, automation technology and forming technology. The latter is intended to open up completely new possibilities for sensor guidance. Last but not least, the numerous small, local measurements must be combined into an overall model and processed for the user.

Software standards for environment modeling
In order to make the information generated by various sensor solutions usable for automation solutions for different applications, cross-sector availability must be ensured. Another research project is therefore concerned with the development of software standards for the creation of environment models in industrial applications. Standardized interfaces are intended to simplify data access and enable the connection of automation services. This will reduce development costs, ensure simple expandability of the systems and avoid redundancies in data generation.

In summary, the special features of the aircraft industry addressed by the individual projects have so far made the efficient use of automation solutions difficult. The use of sensor technology for data acquisition is the necessary first step towards the digital process chain in order to enable automation in this area too. Although sensors themselves can be used universally, task-specific adaptation to the overall system is always necessary. One way to minimize the effort involved in implementing and reconfiguring sensor networks, as required for assembly status detection, is to use sensor simulations and planning tools based on them. Innovative methods for flexible sensor handling are used to create automation solutions for component areas that were previously difficult to access. The recorded data flow must be bundled in models and made freely accessible via standardized interfaces. The digital services that can be used in this way result in the desired increase in productivity. Examples of such services in the aircraft industry include documentation, quality assurance, measurement and positioning tasks, industry-specific analysis tools, performance and remuneration systems and cartography. as / J. Gierecker / L. Bath

Briefly explained: The MHI e.V.
The Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Montage, Handhabung und Industrierobotik e.V. (MHI e.V.) is a network of renowned university professors - institute directors and chair holders - from German-speaking countries. The members conduct both fundamental and application-oriented research on a wide range of current topics in the fields of assembly, handling and industrial robotics. Further information on the society, its members and activities: http://www.wgmhi.de.

Briefly explained: the IFPT
The Institute of Aircraft Production Technology (IFPT) at TU Hamburg was founded in 2010 and focuses on the robot-assisted automation of intelligent, hybrid and mobile systems from the application fields of "large structures", "lightweight construction" and "small series". These fields are typical for aircraft production and maintenance, the wind power industry, shipbuilding, medical technology and the automotive industry. The IFPT currently has 26 employees from the disciplines of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and mechatronics; it is represented by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thorsten Schüppstuhl, board member of MHI e.V., http://www.ifpt-tuhh.de.