Robot-based Continuous Ultrasonic Welding for Automated Production of Aerospace Structures

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Robot-based Continuous Ultrasonic Welding for Automated Production of Aerospace Structures

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Engelschall, Manuel / Larsen, Lars-Christian / Fischer, Frederic / Kupke, Michael

Thermoplastic composite materials for structural aircraft components offer advantages in terms of performance and efficient production. In this context, ultrasonic welding is a promising joining technique that could replace the classical mechanical fastening by riveting and bolting which requires extensive drilling and sealing. At the Center for Lightweight Production Technology (ZLP) in Augsburg a robot-based continuous ultrasonic welding system has been developed. It consists of an end-effector mounted on a standard industrial robot, which allows the flexible joining of large flat and double-curved structures. The functional efficiency has already been proven on various components such as a stiffened fuselage panel or a rear pressure bulkhead. In order to benefit from the high welding speed this fusion bonding process is currently being matured to further improve robustness. A parameter study was carried out to identify optimized processing parameters.