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The surface preparation of the fuselage prior to painting is largely done manually in the Aerospace Industry; utilizing scrubbers, sanders, chemicals, and manlifts resulting in safety and ergonomic issues without delivering a consistent result. The automation of the process employing robots, vision systems, machine movers, and automated process equipment provided the following benefits: Improved Safety and Ergonomics Reduced exposure to hazardous materials and working conditions Improved Consistency and Quality Improved Production Capabilities and Reduced Labor Costs Reduced Material Usage Less weight Lower environmental risks Lower cost This paper will describe the equipment used and the process changes required to automate the surface preparation process, then discuss the benefits that were realized.

Aerospace manufacturing is becoming more competitive and cost reduction is a key factor in building a competitive edge. Robotic technology has advanced tremendously over the past 25 years primarily due to the automotive industry adopting robotic manufacturing disciplines. The aerospace industry is at the threshold of introducing robotic manufacturing in many areas such as drilling, painting, material handling and sealing. We will review several key steps required to introduce robotic sealing technology into the aerospace manufacturing industry. In the first section, we will review the prerequisites for implementing robotic sealing in the aerospace industry. These are: leadership direction, commitment to investment and establishing the multidisciplinary team. In the second section, we will review current sealing processes, application techniques, sealant materials, sealing specifications, manufacturing constraints and production quality systems.

Many Aerospace Manufacturers desire to automate their painting processes to improve quality, reduce coating and other materials usage, and reduce labor content. Automated Painting Systems have been developed for a number of industries, but are less common in Aerospace for a number of reasons, including 1) very large objects to paint with complex surfaces, 2) parts to be painted which are not located accurately or consistently, and 3) a (relatively) small number of parts to paint although often a very large variety of different parts. In developing and implementing automated painting systems, these challenges need to be overcome in robust and cost effective ways, and technologies have been developed and are being enhanced to deal with these challenges. This paper will address some of the most important technologies which are being used to facilitate implementation of automated painting systems.