Tue, 21 September, 2021
TWI has been working as part of a consortium to apply a new TAU platform for large envelope, high-end applications.
Lasertau combines laser processing improvements (higher productivity in manufacturing aerospace structures) with large-scale, cost-effective improvements of a ‘TAU’ robot platform, compared to existing commercially available manipulators.
Working with CAV from the UK and Prodtex, Cognibotics and Corebon from Sweden, the three-year Innovate UK and Vinnova project used parallel-kinematic machine (PKM) principles in the creation of a new prototype robot that was adapted to create a system able to process workpieces with an envelope of around 3m x 1m x1m.
Originally designed for the aerospace industry, it is capable of being deployed to process structures or components in a range of other industry sectors, including for the manufacture of automotive battery cases.
The LaserTAU project consortium successfully demonstrated a long working envelope faster, cheaper and with a higher precision than other robotic welding techniques. The new platform can deliver extreme accuracy (<10microns), high stiffness, a large open workspace and reconfigurable on-site capabilities to manufacture aerospace structures.
This video shows the technology in use on a long weld for the aerospace industry.
The Lasertau project has received funding from Innovate UK under No 105108