Publisher's Synopsis
Aerospace manufacturers are highly sensitive regarding precision since safety is of the most significant issues for the industry. The importance of cost-efficiency is also imperative along the value chain and as a result automation development in manufacturing processes has seen gradual growth in the past few years. Most of these ideas for automation derive from the more advanced in this sector automotive industry with deployment of moving assembly lines and increasingly more use of robotic applications. Whilst traditionally, automation in aerospace industry meant to use large monument machines fed from manual processes, nowadays, the big automation thrust is to eliminate destock. According to aircraft manufacturers, one other significant application of integrated technology processes is predictive maintenance. This refers to being able to transmit information through sensors attached on crucial parts of an aircraft to ground engineers, who will then be ready to provide them when the plane lands. Airplanes come with lots of information, these data should not be disregarded but rather be used meaningfully to make airplanes more available and reliable. These procedures can reduce maintenance costs which account to around 10% of an airline's operating costs and cause delays. Therefore big financial gains await carriers if they take advantage of data streamed through use of technology. However the opportunities of available wealth of data generated in every flight go beyond maintenance. Towards his direction, Boeing and Airbus look into how these data can help pilots adjust their navigation through real time chart planning and avoid turbulence or bad weather. Also there is the potential to be able to track differences in fuel consumption depending on piloting techniques. One of the most promising uses of technology integration in the aerospace industry is with regards to advances in the field of robotics. Another area where robots can excel is inspection process in the manufacturing of aircrafts. Several of these strict inspection procedures can be performed by robots. Further to this, metal parts, for example in assembly such as turbine, need to be precisely attached to the aircraft. Robots are essential to perform accurate and effective welds. Robotic welding therefore is all about repeatability, rigidity, and tight tolerance achievement in aerospace applications.
