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In today's aircraft assembly process several new features make drilling operations very challenging according to production requirements. Parts are made of thin or thick multi-material stacks with a large scope to cover and complex assembly sequences. In addition, the current ramp-up in aircraft programs involves to improve productivity while keeping process quality and reliability. In this context robotic solution meets perfectly all these requirements as it is flexible, reconfigurable, fast and agile. Among the possible end-effectors, the Barrel Multi-Function End Effector (BMFEE) appears to be the most flexible solution to allow many different process configurations. The latest developments have been focused on the drilling equipment of this BMFEE. In fact the drilling process efficiency can be constantly improved especially in terms of reliability, quality and productivity. Therefore vibration-assisted drilling system has been integrated into the BMFEE drilling module.

The paper details the two main phases of the research and development process which led to the current state on the stage 0 dedicated to the assembly of the A320 bottom panel on stringers and buttstraps. First phase: evaluation of the feasibility through trials on platform with a serial KUKA robot, evidence to achieve correctly 3/8" diameter and evidence of the difficulties to achieve the performances for the positioning accuracy. Second phase: development of specific solution on calibration and end effector, implementation on site, definitive performance proved during production.