Automating the cleaning of complex parts in aeronautics.

Visionic designs off-the-shelf optical guidance and control solutions for complex industrial manufacturing processes. As an integrator, they aim for constant improvement of industrial performance. Fuzzy Logic, with its no-code software that allows non-experts to create, simulate and control a robot cell in real time, aims to democratize industrial robotics. Together, Fuzzy Logic and Visionic are removing the technological and financial obstacles to the robotization of applications that were previously unheard of, or perceived as impossible, such as pressure cleaning and the decontamination of engine parts in the aeronautics industry.

Aeronautics is a demanding sector that requires extremely rigorous and standardized industrial processes. For example, machined engine parts must be rendered particle-free before assembly, and are therefore subjected to meticulous cleaning at very high pressure. These noisy and arduous processes are currently performed manually. Operators exposed to high pressure water jets, up to 60 bars, pollution and noise are at high risk of MSD. Aeronautical manufacturers and subcontractors are having difficulty recruiting candidates for these jobs, which are also highly regulated and whose difficulty is closely monitored by the unions.

In order to reduce the difficulty of these tasks, manufacturers are seeking to automate them. Nevertheless, they are confronted with the complexity of robotization, due in particular to the diversity of the parts and their number, to the expert costs and to the lack of availability of roboticists.

In response to these specific and complex problems, Visionic has designed a robotic cell that includes a chassis, a robot, high-pressure hydraulic circuits, a filtration system and a closed-circuit particle recovery system. It is controlled with Fuzzy Studio. Unique in the market, it allows the robotization of these complex tasks, without expertise in robotic programming and at lower costs.

Automatic trajectory generation without programming, a unique feature.
Generating robotic trajectories requires long and complex programming by a roboticist. Automation is even more complicated for applications such as high-pressure cleaning of aeronautical parts that involve a large number of parts with variable geometries. With Fuzzy Studio, these complex trajectories are automatically generated in a few clicks using 3D information from objects placed in a virtual cell. It is possible to add an unlimited number of waypoints to these trajectories. This feature saves users considerable time and frees them from dependence on robotics experts.

Xavier Savin, CEO of Visionic comments: "The key element of Fuzzy Logic's software is its ability to generate automated trajectories, its simplicity and speed of execution. In this complex application, it introduces a radically new paradigm that is a major shift from classical systems that require a robotic operator. Here, the payoff for our customer is the conversion of a tedious, risky, non-value-added task to a basic operator task."

Ryan Lober, CEO of Fuzzy Logic explains, "With Fuzzy Studio, integration specifications are validated in minutes versus days or weeks and at lower costs. Cell sizing information is displayed for easy decision making, before moving on to real-time robot control with Fuzzy RTOS. Parameters can be quickly modified in the simulation. These advantages are unique in the market, and they allow to drastically reduce the investment risks of a robotics project. They offer the possibility to robotize where it seemed impossible."

Xavier Savin adds, "Projects to reuse this cell are underway in the aeronautics sector. We are aiming further ahead and want to extend this solution to other industrial applications, for example welding or control. It is applicable wherever complex robotic trajectories need to be generated quickly." He concludes: "At Visionic, we are fully convinced of the interest of Fuzzy Logic's software for our customers on the one hand but also for our R&D. It gives us a considerable technological advantage."

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See also: Putting robots in the hands of operators.(15/10/2021)

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