The manufacturing large-scale parts/components is a complex and challenging process that requires the implementation of an integrated approach capable of ensuring the manufacturability, quality and high-precision of the large-parts from the engineering stages –i.e. design, simulation/modelling and production planning—. Europe is leading the manufacturing of complex large-scale components with worldwide and top-class manufacturing companies (e.g. AIRBUS, FOKKER). This demanding manufacturing of large parts is the foundation for the
competitiveness of the EU aeronautic strategic value chain. The welding operations of the airplane fuselage (i.e. manufacturing of large-scale components) demand the implementation of a holistic data management and a comprehensive automation methodology to achieve the desired levels of productivity, efficiency and quality based on the development and implementation of modular and flexible equipment (Plug-and-Produce concept).
The main objective of the WELDER project is to design, develop and deploy at Topic Manager´s facilities two robot-based and fully operative welding solutions (namely, ultrasonic welding end-effectors and resistance welding end-effectors), including all the needed tooling and auxiliaries for the longitudinal barrel joint of the 8m long fuselage demonstrator. Moreover, WELDER will be focused on implementing an online monitoring and control system based on an endto-end digital manufacturing solution, enabling a bidirectional dataflow to feed the whole lifecycle management digital twin and, thus, optimising the process and product performance and while enabling new approval/acceptance procedures. Therefore, the successful execution of the WELDER project will become the spearhead of the aerospace industry thermoplastic adoption strategy through the provision and demonstration of the airplane fuselage welding replacing conventional joining systems relying on fastening, riveting and adhesives, thus highly improving the environmental and economic performance of the aerospace sector, according to Clean Sky 2 objectives.
At the end of the project the main objectives have been achieved. WELDER has provided the welding end-effectors to the MFFD for the longitudinal join in the overlap side and for the frame coupling integration in both sides of the barrel. After the welding trials campaing process parameters, welding windows and online monitoring system were defined for both technologies. Because of that the full barrel could be welded with promising quality results that will be deeply checked by the Topic Leader beyond WELDER analyses.
