Automation and Simulation of Aerospace Processes at the NRC Aerospace Manufacturing Technology Center 2003-01-2904

Automation is a necessary step towards cost reduction for manufacturing and assembly of aircraft structural components and for maintenance related processes. The NRC Institute for Aerospace Research created a new center i.e. the Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies Center that has the mission of helping the Canadian Aerospace Industries to improve their productivity and more especially to assist the major Canadian aerospace companies Canadian supply chain, which is composed essentially of small to medium enterprises in the assessment, development and implementation of new manufacturing technologies. The automation, robotics and Intelligent manufacturing group focuses on modeling, simulation and automation of aerospace processes that is manufacturing and maintenance processes. The paper will present the several aspects of the program stressing the requirements for accurate simulation of manufacturing or maintenance tasks in the context of process automation. It will cover processes such as wing forming, integrated robotized in-situ shot peening for aircraft life extension i.e. a maintenance process and aircraft structural assembly. The simulation tools will be presented along with the applications. The paper will conclude on the way ahead for the program at the center and its interaction with the Canadian Industry.