Comau and Leonardo Leverage Cognitive Robotics to Ship Superior Automated Inspection for Mission-Vital Aeronautical Constructions
-The businesses have collectively developed and are testing a strong, self-adaptive robotic answer to autonomously examine helicopter blades measuring as much as 7 meters
-The cutting-edge answer ensures larger high quality and larger flexibility with out sacrificing precision or repeatability
-Comau’s clever robotic perceives and sees its environment, calculates its choice making and intuitively optimizes the end-to-end inspection processes
The growing push for quicker processes, higher management and better high quality within the aerospace business necessitates a brand new technology of superior automation designed to automate advanced processes that till a short while in the past might solely be completed manually. In terms of testing vital constructions corresponding to helicopter blades, for instance, the potential advantages of automation improve exponentially, as robotic inspection grants accuracy in addition to effectivity. Additionally they guarantee standardization of and full compliance with the testing course of by objectively finishing every assigned process.
To deal with this want, Comau and Leonardo are working collectively to develop and check a strong, self-adaptive robotic answer to autonomously examine helicopter blades measuring as much as 7 meters. The good inspection answer has been developed as a joint pilot venture and was examined on-site in Anagni, Italy, over the previous yr. The system could now transfer to a different web site to ship enhanced capabilities for MRO (Upkeep, Restore and Overhaul) companies.
Leveraging a mix of cognitive robotics, superior imaginative and prescient techniques and synthetic intelligence, the answer autonomously performs tapping exams and multispectral floor inspection alongside the non-linear blade, to measure and confirm the structural integrity with a granularity exceeding 1000’s of factors. Extra importantly, robotized inspection ensures 100% accuracy throughout the self-adaptive course of and permits operators to upskill their positions whereas having fun with higher security and well-being in comparison with the preliminary repetitive and labor-intensive course of. Moreover, the transfer from handbook to robotic automation will let Leonardo leverage the complete advantages of course of engineering in comparison with a handbook operation through which expertise is commonly handed between technicians in a non-standard means.
Wanting on the technical collaboration in additional element, every of the businesses has shared particular competencies to optimize the end-to-end inspection course of. These embrace clever algorithms and superior path planning that permit the robotic to see and reply to its environment, in addition to a complete knowledge acquisition and processing infrastructure that facilitates optimized sound and picture recognition. Because the blades are mechanically stimulated by the good robotic, the sound response is each recorded and photographed utilizing a multi spectral digital camera in an effort to detect hidden and superficial defects.
One other highly effective characteristic of the system is that it routinely senses the setting. It first localizes the blade, which has been positioned on its helps by the operator, detects any obstacles after which calculates each cycle time optimization and collision-free path planning. All this technical complexity is hidden behind a easy and efficient person interface based mostly on low code programming. This enables the operator to program the robotic utilizing easy, human instructions: search for the blade, discover the place and execute the motion required. In doing so, the answer shifts the operator’s position from executing repetitive and labor-intensive tapping duties to leveraging their expertise when programming the robotic to run the now standardized course of.
Such clever automation helps cut back the seeming complexity of processes and optimize their consequence by enabling the robotic to understand and see its environment, automate its choice making and intuitively optimize the inspection processes. This grants larger flexibility with out sacrificing precision or repeatability.
“Comau’s dedication to the design and improvement of cutting-edge applied sciences and options for elaborate processes permits us to increase the advantages of superior automation to mission-critical sectors corresponding to aerospace,” defined Nicole Clement, Chief of Comau Superior Automation Options Enterprise Unit. “The collaboration with Leonardo provides us the chance to increase our innovation attain by creating a wiser, data-driven inspection system that gives an goal evaluation of key structural components inside a standardized, automated and highly-accurate course of.”
“This expertise demonstration venture suits properly in Leonardo’s technique to rework industrial processes by digitization,” stated Mattia Cavanna, Head of Know-how & Innovation at Leonardo Helicopters. “It additionally aligns completely with our steadfast dedication to enhanced technical assist, which in flip yields concrete advantages when it comes to security and high quality”.
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