TCTool: End-effectors development and industrialisation for aviation
The aerospace industry is continuously looking at weight reduction, while maintaining a high level of stiffness and strength, in order to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, and increase efficiency, payload and/or range. To meet this increasing demand, therefore, there is a need to utilise novel materials and technologies. Advanced thermoplastic composites provide an excellent alternative material option thanks to their weldability, low density and overall production cost, improved fracture toughness and recyclability. However, to fully appreciate their potential in terms of weight, cost and production rate, new manufacturing approaches and techniques are needed.
Hence, the TCTool project aimed to develop three, end-effect solutions to demonstrate the feasibility of assembling a 180°, full scale, multifunctional, integrated, thermoplastic lower fuselage shell, including cabin and cargo floor structure. The demonstrator, thermoplastic fuselage skin has a length of around 8m, and a varying radius between 2m and 2.5m, as part of a larger project entitled STUNNING: Smart, multifunctional and integrated TP fuselage.
End-effector 1 – an automated, adaptive, assembly tool that supports the fuselage skin for the entire assembly process. Attached to this is the first end-effector that welds the 8m length stringers, placed by the second end-effector, to the fuselage skin. The assembly tool and end-effector were developed and designed by TWI, and the conduction welding technology and welding head developed by GKN-Fokker Aerospace. End-effector 2 – this is supported by a robotic system hanging downwards from a gantry to pick-and-place the stringers, and the injection moulded thermoplastic frame clips. Partner FADA-CATEC led the development of this end-effector. End-effector 3 – this was developed by London South Bank University to perform various short welds at hard-to-reach locations within the assembly, while being attached to a gantry robot arm, and uses the same conduction welding technology developed by GKN-Fokker Aerospace.
The automated assembly process is combined in a digital twin, developed by partner Acroflight Ltd, to provide a complete description of the product. Partner Brunel University London led the dissemination of the project’s scientific achievements. The TCTool consortium also delivered designs for the assembly end-effectors, following which they were manufactured for GKN-Fokker Aerospace to use in assembling the fuselage demonstrator as part of the STUNNING project.
Partners: GKN-Fokker Aerospace; also Topic Manager, Fundación Andaluza para el Desarrollo Aeroespacial – Advanced Center for Aerospace Technologies (FADA-CATEC), London South Bank University, Acroflight Ltd and BCC.
TCTool received funding from the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking under grant agreement No. 865131, under the EU's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under.