Airbus simulation programme showing early successes

Airbus is successfully using simulation software to program and validate robotics assembly lines for the new Airbus aircraft programs. The pilot project is up and running on the shop floor at Broughton, handling A320 wing skin drilling. The goal is to optimise its design and manufacturing cycle time, fine-tune its production through off-line programming, reduce costs and accelerate time-to-market. It’s using Dassault’s Delmia V5 Robotics digital manufacturing systems, under the terms of a global contract covering use of the systems for the A320-A330-A340 and A380 commercial aircraft, the new A400M military transporter, and the future A350. Airbus NC programmer John Bray says: “At the moment we’re into the final stages of acceptance testing with the application and the robots. The main issue is with the production process because we’re automating what was manual and need to fit the existing jigs.” Rob Lloyd, engineering gourp leader and in charge of assembly equipment at Broughton, says learning the new systems was not too difficult and “has become quite intuitive.” There are now several people working on the project in the UK. The first programme to benefit fully will be the A400M, the first designed entirely with Catia V5 and simulated on Delmia. It will also get Fastip-Fastrim tools from Dassault Systèmes technology partner CENIT, which work on the Catia and Delmia data-model to provide trimming, drilling and riveting automation. Airbus is also using the ergonomic and assembly simulation tools of Delmia V5 Human and Delmia V5 DPM Assembly for digital manufacturing simulation. Those are already being used on the A400M, checking operator accessibility during the assembly and maintenance phases of various plane parts throughout the design lifecycle. Automatic solving of machine and environment conflicts will optimise machine paths, reducing maintenance costs and immobilisation times. “We have been working hand-in-hand for two years with the IBM, Dassault Systèmes and CENIT teams,” says Daniel Girardot, robotics team leader at Airbus. “The three companies have designed a solution that totally fits with Airbus’ methods and manufacturing processes, and will lead to significant profits for Airbus. It will be implemented first in eight projects at different Airbus sites across Europe.”