Transforming Aircraft Assembly

AGVs are ideally suited for assembly line and complex manufacturing operations.

Wheelift Systems Group’s new generation of heavy capacity automatic guided vehicles offers extreme precision while working together or independently.

Designed to approach from any direction, drive under loads, lift, and transport the loads, the automated guided vehicles(AGVs) are ideally suited for assembly line and complex manufacturing operations, and major aircraft manufacturers have taken notice.

“Tandem operating AGV systems have been studied in theory, but Wheelift offers the first practical application in situations where the loads are greater than 30-tons. Our technology is much more flexible, precise, and capable of safely moving heavier loads than ever before possible,” explains Mel Terry, senior systems design and development specialist, Wheelift.

According to Dan Friz, global development manager, KUKA Systems Corp., Aerospace Group, “Wheelift AGVs are used in the [assembly of the] center fuselage of the F-35 and, as a whole, what Wheelift delivered is highly accurate at plus or minus 0.125" while transporting very expensive pieces without any concern of extending the limits of the vehicle.”

Leveraging AGV Technology
The Joint Strike Fighter program, a focal point next generation strike aircraft weapon systems for the U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Marines, was looking to control production and development costs through flexible manufacturing that would allow for customized versions of aircraft including the assembly of the F-35.

One of the manufacturing challenges was creating a flexible path system within a large complex facility, requiring low profile, heavy load capacity vehicles for interface to a wide variety of machine cells.

The patented Wheelift technology allows multiple AGVs to come together and work in tandem under single large loads. According to Dalt Snodgrass, the Wheelift project manager on the KUKA project, the precision offered by Wheelift allows for moving very heavy loads without sacrificing mobility. Five Wheelift's precision handling AGVs can carry F-35 tooling structures. The tooling with the airplane sections weigh up to 75,000 lb, yet move effortlessly as though supported on precision ground rails. Wheelift’s axle technology enables design freedoms for manufacturing flexibility and entirely new configurable work processes. All told, there are 28 different stations.

A central Control and Indication server (C&I) is the heart of the system that stores and manages all manufacturing processes and protocol. The C&I communicates with the AGV server, which manages all of the tooling and work in progress. Priority routing, safety, maintenance, power consumption, and fault tracking are integrated functions within the server.

Wheelift Transporter with a 180 Ton Load

“This is a benchmark for automated integrated assembly line. As of today we have delivered to all stations, upward of a couple units, and the first unit has been delivered,” Friz says.

Inspired by automation systems for cars, KUKA Systems Corp.’s Aerospace Division and Northrop Grumman designed and developed the integrated assembly line. Final assembly of all F-35 jets includes mating the center fuselage to an aft fuselage and the forward fuselage, cockpit, and wings.

Wheelift’s low profile compact chassis with integrated lifting suspension eliminates external mechanisms and improves tooling access throughout the automation process. Axles provide a degree of flexibility other technologies cannot, Terry explains. The fluid suspension axles typically have 10" vertical travel and ±4° of lateral articulation. Omni-direction movements eliminate miss-alignments and provide dock interface design flexibility. By applying Savant's Free-Range navigation technology, the foundation is laid for future requirements when there are additional process cells are required and production ramps up.

“Major industry players including Northrop Grumman, Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, and Airbus, can use Wheelift systems to bring previously unheard of degrees of flexibility, efficiency, and savings to their operations,” Terry states.

Uses for Wheelift’s new generation of AGVs go beyond aircraft manufacturing to shipbuilding and repair, nuclear spent fuel transport, mining, and heavy industrial manufacturing where precision and heavy loads are common.

Wheelift Systems
Waverly, IA
www.wheelift.com