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Drilling and riveting needs high accuracy for aircraft parts assembly. Major manufacturers look for flexible solutions to match their modern requirements and specific process. SPIE & ABB have developed an innovative force controlled robotic system with high clamping force to allow drilling and riveting multi-material structures. It will fulfill the one-way assembly requirements in several types of aeronautics applications. Normality and anti-slipping are solved using force-control solution: a 6 components force sensor measures forces and moments at the pressure foot to correct normality and to avoid slipping. A high pressure clamping force directly controlled by robot allows a one-way drilling and riveting cycle. Accuracy is performed by absolute calibration and optical reference setting directly on aircraft part. The new drilling, sealing and riveting end effector achieves peak drilling, stack thickness measurement, cutting condition adjustment and drill break detection.

In Aeronautic industry, when we launch a new industrialization for an aircraft sub assembly we always have the same questions in mind for drilling operations, especially when focusing on lean manufacturing. How can we avoid dismantling and deburring parts after drilling operation? Can a drilling centre perform all the tasks needed to deliver a hole ready to install final fastener? How can we simplify specific jigs used to maintain parts during drilling operations? How can we decrease down-time of the drilling centre? Can a drilling centre be integrated in a pulse assembly line? How can we improve environmental efficiency of a drilling centre? It is based on these main drivers that AIRBUS has developed, with SPIE and SOS, a new generation of drilling centre dedicated for hard materials such as titanium, and high thicknesses. The first application was for the assembly of the primary structure of A350 engine pylons.