Robotic Screw Feed & Torquing System for Fighter Jet Antenna Assemblies - Compass Automation

Fighter jet antenna assembly: http://robot.fanucamerica.com/Product... FANUC America Authorized System Integrator Compass Automation developed this automated system to utilize a FANUC M-10iA/12 robot for picking and torqueing thousands of screws into an antenna assembly. Compass Automation developed the highly customized system for a defense contractor. These antenna assemblies are upgrade components for older generation fighter jets. Four different screw types are bowl-fed into the system then picked by the FANUC M-10iA/12 robot. An operator places the cart into the work cell with the assemblies in place. The FANUC robot uses a vision camera to verify that the assemblies match up correctly with what was input through the HMI. The FANUC robot then proceeds to torque the screws. After one presentation is finished, the operator will remove the cart, add the next assembly to the cart, return it to the work cell, and the system proceeds with the next presentation. After a number of these presentations, the antenna assembly will be completed and the process repeats with the next part. In addition to the FANUC M-10iA/12 robot, the system utilizes Desoutter’s new ERXS 50 Torque Driver to drive the screws. The system presented a major challenge – the robot would have to perform several different operations, identifying multiple screw and surface types. Compass Automation overcame these challenges, custom engineering the system to be able to pick up on every different hole, hole finish that may be surrounding it; screw type and screw finish all at the same time. Additionally, Compass Automation developed the system to be fully integrated into their customers’ supervisory control and data acquisition system, allowing for every torque value to be sent back to a server that logs the data. This allows an incredible amount of statistical process control that was not available through the previous manual process. Compass Automation used their innovative Agile Machine Development methodology to design the system, allowing Compass to verify that all of the process techniques – including accurate torqueing and vision – would work well in advance of the actual manufacturing and assembly of the machine. To learn more about FANUC America Authorized System Integrator Compass Automation, please visit http://www.compass-automation.com.