Design of a multifunctional cell for aerospace CFRP production

Owing to the rising demand in efficiency and sustainability in commercial aviation, aircraft manufacturers increase the usage of high-performance, lightweight materials like carbon-fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRPs). These materials pose new challenges to manufacturing processes concerning cost-effectiveness and quality requirements. To meet these challenges, the Institute of Structures and Design within the German Aerospace Center (DLR) designed a flexible robotic manufacturing cell at the Center for Lightweight Production Technology (ZLP) in Augsburg. The multifunctional cell (MFZ) can integrate processes for production and inspection on an industrial scale. Due to large workpieces like fuselage components or wing skins and low production quantities, workshop space and investment cost are major concerns for effective CFRP production. The large size of the cell (30 m × 15 m × 7 m) demands a highly reconfigurable space. The platform is composed of five ceiling-mounted robots on a gantry-like machine frame and may be divided in smaller independent cells. The multifunctional cell will improve the understanding of requirements of future production processes for lightweight components by providing a highly flexible platform on an industrial scale.