Sensor-based precision robotic deburring for aerospace manufacturing

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Aerospace manufacturing involves large and complex parts with high variability and stringent precision and reliability constraints. Automated manufacturing can improve quality and efficiency while reducing the risk to humans. Deburring is a very complex, time-consuming, and expensive process that is currently done manually in this sector. Hand deburring is highly reliant on human skills and is prone to errors and low consistency with potentially harmful dust. Robotic deburring in sheet metal working is in high demand, but very complex to implement due to the complex planning, tight tolerances, and variable loading involved. This project brings Carleton University's robotics expertise together with Arnprior Aerospace Inc (AAI), a major Ontario supplier of aerospace structures to aircraft industry worldwide, to develop a Sensor-based Precision Robotic Deburring (SPRD) technology for thin sheet metal parts. To achieve the required machining stability and precision, various multi-layer sensor-based controllers will be investigated. An open-architecture experimental platform, RoboDeb-E, will be designed and integrated as the proof-of-concept for the SPRD technology. This platform facilitates the research on advanced sensing, control, and data processing methods, and enables studies to gain a better understanding of the material removal process and inter-relation of the process parameters. This research includes a systematic experimental study to quantify the performance of SPRD technology and compare the results to the quality of parts produced via hand deburring process by AAI machinists. The research concludes with a detailed specification of an industrial version of SPRD, RoboDeb-I, to produce parts at AAI. RoboDeb-I will be developed through an immediate follow-on project through funds from Ontario Centres of Excellence (VIP-II program). While SPRD immediately impacts productivity at AAI, it has a great potential for application in other sectors or processes. The resulting system can boost manufacturing and automation science, generate local high-tech opportunities and economic benefits, and help maintaining aerospace manufacturing business in Canada and its reputation as a major aircraft manufacturing hub.