DELTA - Digitally Enhanced Low-cost Technology for Aerostructures

随着大量飞机订单和未来飞机销量的增加，以取代现有飞机并扩大全球航空公司机队，空中客车正在寻求提高生产率以满足全球需求。与此同时，它必须努力降低生产成本，以便在日益增长的全球市场上保持竞争力。这就要求其自身工厂和供应链的生产效率和灵活性。对于英国的空客公司来说，重点是机翼组装，这是在位于威尔士布劳顿的空客工厂进行的。空客希望从工业数字革命中获益，以缩短生产周期和成本，同时提高质量。DELTA项目——航空结构数字增强低成本技术，将开发和测试一套创新的数字装配技术，这些技术将成为飞机工业系统的一部分，降低制造成本，提高制造质量，同时实现适应性。目标是将这些技术应用于现有和未来的飞机生产系统，并适用于空中客车公司及其供应链。正在开发的这些技术包括：*通过捕获和使用上游和下游工艺的制造、装配和检查数据，实现端到端全产品生命周期数字数据线程。*通过嵌入式传感器对装配工具进行跟踪和控制，以实现自动生成构建记录，零件/过程可追溯性，工具寿命估计和过程认证。*使用现成的传感器网络提供组件和工具的亚毫米地理位置，并允许实时监控和产品认证，具有成本效益，大批量计量。*以人为中心的自动化，使用自我意识机器人进行大规模协同工作环境和自动化系统，以实现可重复性和生产力。*集成自动化的智能夹具，允许快速安装，调整和从夹具中移除组件/产品。该项目将在三个示范项目中达到高潮，这些示范项目将在一个具有代表性的环境中测试开发的技术。每个项目都针对不同的生产阶段，从用于生产小型组件的数字化工作站，到用于最终机翼组装的技术演示。空客将与结构组件的主要供应商Spirit AeroStructures和生产制造工具和设备的阿特拉斯·科普柯合作，使这两家公司能够开发自己的生产系统。空客还将与谢菲尔德大学、拉夫堡大学、伦敦大学学院和科学技术设施委员会等研究机构合作。他们将为项目带来学术创新和研究，这些项目将被开发用于工业应用。

With a large number of Aircraft orders and an increase in aircraft sales in the future to replace existing aircraft and grow the global airline fleet, Airbus is looking to increase production rates to meet global demand. In parallel, it must drive for lower production costs to remain competitive in the ever increasing global market. This demands production efficiency and flexibility into its own factories and its supply chain.For Airbus in the UK the focus is on Wing assembly, which is undertaken in the Airbus Factory in Broughton, Wales. Airbus is looking to benefit from the industrial digital revolution to drive reduced production lead-times and costs, whilst improving quality.The project DELTA - Digitally Enhanced Low-cost Technology for Aerostructures, will develop and test a set of innovative digital assembly technologies that will form part of the aircraft industrial system that will reduce manufacturing costs and improve build quality, whilst enabling adaptability. The aim is to apply these technologies to the existing and future aircraft production systems and are applicable to Airbus and its supply chain.Some of these technologies being developed are:* End to end full product life digital data thread by capturing and using data from fabrication, assembly and inspection for upstream and downstream processes.* Traceability and control on assembly tools through embedded sensors to achieve automatic generation of build records, part/process traceability, tool life estimation and process certification.* Cost-effective, large-volume metrology using off-the-shelf sensor networks delivering sub-mm geolocation of components and tools as well as allowing real-time monitoring and product certification.* Human-centered automation using self-aware robots for large-scale cooperative working environment and automated systems to enable repeatability and productivity.* Intelligent fixtures with integrated automation allowing quick setup, adjustments and removal of components/product from the fixture.The project will culminate in three demonstrators that will test the technology developed in a representative environment. Each addresses different stages of production, from a digital enabled workstation used to produce small assemblies, through to a technology demonstrator for final wing assembly.Airbus will partner with Spirit AeroStructures, a primary supplier of structural assemblies and Atlas Copco, who produce manufacturing tools and equipment, enabling these companies to develop their production systems.Airbus will also engage with research organisations: University of Sheffield, Loughborough University, University College London and The Science and Technology Facilities Council. They will bring academic innovation and research to the project which will be developed for industrial applications.