BACKGROUND
The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) worked with local SME Donite Plastics on a collaborative industrial R&D project focussed on the development of automated assembly processes for Thermoformed Twin Skin Panels (TTSP) Donite was supplying initially to aerospace clients, such as Thompson Aero Seating.
Donite Plastics is one of the UK and Ireland’s leading thermoforming companies and has been supporting customers in the aerospace sector for many years. Aircraft interiors, and in particular aircraft seating, incorporates many types of access panel with traditional design generally assembled using conventional assembly techniques. Donite Plastics developed bonded twin skin vacuum formed panels significantly reducing weight (up to 39%) and part reduction (89%) per panel. This advancement would allow Donite Plastics to further its offering to its aerospace customers and further other manufacturing sectors.
The collaborative R&D project, awarded by the National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP) was to develop a robotic automated assembly cell, that would allow for the consistent production of TTSP whilst capturing manufacturing data through digital technologies to support product traceability and quality.
CHALLENGE
Donite Plastics had no previous background in the adoption of robotic automation or supporting Industry 4.0 technologies within their manufacturing processes, but recognised the opportunity embracing these technologies could bring.
Principal challenges for AMIC within the R&D work were:
- Identifying and demonstrating suitable technologies that could automate the adhesive laydown in a controlled and consistent manner while also automating the quality control checking process.
- Demonstrating appropriate smart sensor technologies to capture key process and environmental data, as well as supporting safety systems.
- Capturing all relevant product and process data from various equipment and sensors, to collate into an appropriate quality record for the manufactured TTSP products.
- Demonstrate the flexibility and ease of use of the proposed technologies to Donite Plastics and illustrate a vision of how a future full production cell would look and operate.
INNOVATION
Working collaboratively with Donite Plastics the AMIC team were able to capture the required specification information to help inform the down selection of appropriate automation technologies. Between the project partners the technologies were sourced and a demonstration cell constructed by the AMIC engineering team. The demonstration cell was then used to:
- Develop the robotic programming for consistent adhesive laydown patterns appropriate to the TTSP products.
- Programme sensor technologies to carry out required quality checks during the process to ensure all parts met required quality standards.
- Show how manufacturing and additional sensor information could be captured and displayed through an IIOT platform, supporting both production data dashboards and product quality records.
The AMIC engineering team also used a simulation software, Visual Components, to develop a vision for a future full production cell that would utilise the automation technologies identified by AMIC, as well as the advances in fixturing developed by Donite Plastics.
RESULT
This collaborative R&D project has yielded compelling results, clearly demonstrating how Donite Plastics could adopt the automated technologies within their future production of TTSP products for their aerospace clients and beyond. The process developed during the project resulted in bonded TTSP panels being produced consistently and well within the acceptable quality parameters required by Donite Plastics.
The AMIC team have been able to introduce robotic and supporting Industry 4.0 technologies to an ambitious, local SME who are keen to exploit the technology and learning onto a wider range of products across their customer base.
IMPACT
Donite Plastics have stated that the outcomes from the project are predicted to increase company turnover by £1,000,000 over the next 5 years, with added cost reduction of over £22,000 per year.
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
“Collaborating with AMIC introduced us to many technologies that we were unaware of and would otherwise not have considered. They demonstrated the technology with examples relevant to our business. Their knowledge and experience helped bridge the skills gap when it came to integrating the new technologies to Donite." Patrick Knight, Engineering Manager for Donite Plastics.