Next Generation Automation for Aerospace CompositesDr. John RussellChief, Structures TechnologyAir Force Research Laboratory

DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. Case Number 88ABW-2019-2382

• All likely to design in bigger and/or more complex composite structures than have been built to date

• Factory throughput is key in all cases• All of this will stress the industrial base. Currently:

• Lots of hand lay up. Automated tow/fiber placement machines are slow and most efficient for mild curvature only.

• Current construction more analog than digital. Asset tracking and process measurements are happening. No true industry 4.0 environment.

Aerospace Industry Trends (pre-COVID)

40,000 in the next 20 years Thousands? Multi variant?Spiral development?

More car-like construction?

Commercial LCAAT Urban Air Mobility

• Future State: • Understanding of process capabilities• 50% reduction in design and manufacturing cycle time• Rapidly reconfigured manufacturing lines meet surge

demand and various product mixes• Potential solution:

• Aggressive cure cycles to cut autoclave time in half. • Next generation automation.

• Improved utilization of AFP/ATL equipment. • Robotic solutions for hand layup and forming of complex shape

parts (thermoset and thermoplastic). • Collaborative robots that interact with humans• Flexible robot systems that are able to be reprogramed or

repurposed for integration into another system

Future Manufacturing Focus: Low Cost, Agile Manufacturing

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• Future State: • Non-interfering in-process sensors and an alternative to post

process inspection• Applies to both as-manufactured and in-service conditions.

• Potential Solution: • Move from inspection to measurement. • Marry simulation with process measurement• Use of Industry 4.0 tools to provide an understanding of the

state of the part or assembly, not just to track them.

Future Manufacturing Focus: Quality Assurance

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Next Generation Automation for Aerospace CompositesAnoush Poursartip, PhD, PEng, FCAEDirector, Composites Research Network (CRN)Co-Director, Digital Learning Factory InitiativeProfessor, Department of Materials EngineeringThe University of British Columbia

Director of Research, Convergent Manufacturing Technologies Inc.

Composites Automation: Basic Thoughts

• We are now at the dawn of Industry 4.0, and automation is considered so 3.0! Yet, why have composites lagged in the adoption of automation?

• Although the value of composites products is high, the volume is small. We cannot blindly apply lessons from other sectors

• Automating the current paradigm is but a first step – what would it take to automate across the whole lifecycle of manufacturing and design?

Composites Automation: What’s Different?

• The classic automation paradigm is “Sense, Think, Act”

Sense: what should we sense? How should we sense? Why?

Think: Do we have enough data or knowledge? In one cell? Across the whole factory?

Act: How accurate should we be? In one cell? Across the whole factory?

• How do we trade off increased non-recurring cost with (hopefully) decreased recurring cost? Cost, rate, and quality? Risk? Agility? Versatility?

• Remember that your biggest investment is building the factory – you have to get it right

Composites Automation: The Way Forward

• The future of disruptive composites automation depends on the successful fusion of Industry 4.0 and Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) approaches: an integrated digital thread with a science-based simulation backbone

• We need seamless linkage between material design, product design, factory/equipment design, and production – including inspection, traceability, regulation…

• At UBC, we are pushing science-based simulation currently used for material and product design into production – including re-imagining how research and education occur in such a world: a “Digital Learning Factory” with a much broader group of stakeholders

• At Convergent, the focus is on extending the technology for composites simulation into the factory: a digital thread framework, from AFP to forming and beyond – the fusion of science-based simulation and data science without which automation will not be the disruptive force it should be

Advanced Manufacturing Technologies with Automation & Artificial IntelligenceWaruna Seneviratne, PhD

Director – ATLASSr. Research Scientist (Composites & Structures)

https://www.wichita.edu/research/NIAR/Laboratories/atlas.php

Manufacturing Engineering Education

• Future• Create a pipeline of “industry-ready” future

engineers for advanced manufacturing processes• Machine learning and artificial intelligence• Advanced materials and processes

• Present• Work with industry solving current manufacturing

problems• Exposure to industry challenges

• Past• Develop workforce training programs for advanced

manufacturing technologies• Create new job opportunities for current workforce

Develop a multi-disciplinary manufacturing environment and an engineering education program to prepare engineers and educators for the Factory of the Future and to aid current workforce in seamlessly adapting to

advancements in the workplace.

https://www.wichita.edu/research/NIAR/Laboratories/atlas.php

Digital Manufacturing Twin (DMT) Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence

Increase Rate, Improve Quality, and Reduce Cost• Detecting manufacturing defects that are above certification basis through

machine-learning algorithms for reducing time-consuming manual inspection processes that require interrupting the manufacturing process, and

• Using artificial intelligence for identifying manufacturing anomalies for optimizing process parameters (ex, lay down speed, heat input, compaction force, steering radii, etc.) in order to reduce manufacturing defects.

Strategic partnership with Hexagon for implementation of Apodious AFP inspection system and development of hybrid for in-process inspections.

In-Process Inspections

Next Generation Automation for Aerospace Composites

A Machine Tool Suppliers PerspectiveRobert HarperDirector, Business DevelopmentFives Composites & Automated Solutions

How to go from 14 to 60 plus

• 787 peaked at 14 ss/m (Highest in history for Aircraft at 50% + Composite content/weight) 168ss/y

• A350 peaked at 9.5ss/m, 114ss/y• Future 737/A320 replacements will require 60 plus per month per program• 60ss/m, 720/y x 2 programs = 1440ss/y

Demands for Future Aircraft Programs• Faster Laydown Speeds• Higher Reliability (Lights Out Mentality)• Automated Secondary Processes (Tool Load/Unload, Machine to Tool Alignment,

Material Replenishment, Offline Maintenance, In Process Inspection)• Simplified Operations• Lower Cost of Ownership• Lower Capital Cost• Alternative Material Types/Formats Tailored Towards Part Types (UD Thermosets,

OoA, Thermoplastics, Dry Fiber, UCF, Varying thicknesses and widths)• Overall 2-3x Faster F2F Throughput over Current Technologies

Next Generation Automation for Aerospace CompositesA Lockheed Martin Aeronautics ProspectiveBob KoonLM FellowOctober 22, 2020