Robotics technology has come a long way in recent years, and the aerospace industry is one of the many sectors that have been benefiting from this development. With the help of robots, aircraft can now be manufactured faster and more efficiently. Here are seven types of aerospace robots that are currently being used in the industry.
1. Cloud Robots
These robots are designed for heavy lifting and moving objects that are too large for a human to handle. They make use of supercomputers in the cloud to research their tasks and move objects from one spot to another.
2. Guided Vehicle Robots
When operating in an environment with zero-visibility conditions, guided vehicle robots can be used for transporting materials or cargo from one point to another. Robots like the Mobile Servicing System (MSS) uses a laser range finder, wheel odometers and a monocular camera to navigate inside the Space Station without knocking into any immovable structures.
3. Manipulator Robots
These are programmable arms that are used for gripping, moving and manipulating objects. The Dextre robotic arm, which is currently being used on the International Space Station, is an example of manipulator robot that’s currently being used by NASA.
4. Aerial Robots
This type of robots are usually unmanned military planes that are used to carry out surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Such planes have been used in Iraq and Afghanistan to scout out targets and detect any signs of life on the ground before conducting bombing operations against these targets. They are also routinely used in law enforcement to track down criminals who are on the run from the police force.
5 . Co-Bots
Co-bots are robots that have been specifically designed for operating alongside human workers in order to help reduce the risk of workers getting injured while on the job. In the manufacturing industry, co-bots are frequently used to safely relieve workers of repetitive or hazardous jobs.
6. Autonomous Robots
These are robots that can work independently without having to be controlled by a human controller. They usually operate on the basis of a pre-defined set of instructions and normally need no human intervention at all. An example is the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), which uses video cameras and an inertial navigation system to carry out its assigned tasks autonomously and report back to its operators once its mission has been accomplished.
7. Symbiotic Robots
A symbiotic robot is one that is designed to work in a biologically inspired manner. An example of such a robot is the salamander robot, which uses a fluidic actuator to achieve walking movements similar to those of its biological counterparts. The recent developments in robotics technology have definitely made it possible for robots to start taking over the industry, and this trend appears to be just getting started.
Robotics And The Aerospace Industry
The market for aircraft robots is anticipated to reach USD 4.9 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 11.4% from USD 2.9 billion in 2021.
Robots are used in aerospace in a number of different ways, and they are expected to become even more prevalent over time. Many of these robots can be used while a plane is still in the air, or they can be left in the air while engineers remotely control them on the ground. The following sections describe some of these robots and the ways that they are being used.
Benefits Of Robotics In The Aerospace Industry
Aerospace industry is the branch of the manufacturing sector that produces aircraft, spacecraft, missiles, and related parts. Aerospace robotics is a subset of the manufacturing process that deals with the construction of aircraft, spacecraft, and missiles. The automotive industry is the sector of the economy that manufactures automobiles.
Approximately 80% of manufacturers anticipate that the pandemic would have a negative financial impact on their companies, according to a poll released by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) in March 2020.
There is a growing trend among aerospace companies and industrial automation firms to integrate vision systems into their robotic systems. This is due to the fact that vision systems can provide a higher level of accuracy and precision than other types of sensors. Additionally, vision systems can be used to detect objects in a three-dimensional space, which is important for many aerospace engineering applications.
1. Faster And More Efficient Engineering Process
One of the main benefits of using robotics in the aerospace industry is that it can speed up or improve the engineering process. The quicker you get your plane built, the better your chances are of staying ahead of your competition.
Most modern planes are now manufactured using the Toyota Kata method, which is based on Lean principles that allow companies to deliver a higher quality product more quickly and efficiently than in the past. By replacing human workers with robots designed for specific tasks, it’s possible to streamline operations and deliver a better-finished product in a shorter amount of time.
2. Better Quality Control
By the end of 2021, Airbus wants to produce 45 units per month of its A320 aircraft family.
Management at all levels can reduce waste across their organization by using better quality control measures throughout production processes. One of the biggest wastes in the manufacturing industry is waste due to human error, and robots can greatly reduce this error by replacing humans who are prone to making mistakes.
3. Better Safety And Workplace Conditions
Factory workers in the aerospace industry often face dangerous conditions that can lead to serious health problems. By using robotics, employers can have a better idea of how certain products are progressing as they are being made and can be on hand to solve problems if they arise. Robots can also be used for spot checks and maintenance work, which helps employers avoid safety hazards caused by human error or equipment failure.
4. Smoother Production Cycles
Robots are ideal for production cycles that are more complex and unpredictable, as they can be programmed to adjust to these changes seamlessly. By automating a production process with robotics, complications can be reduced or eliminated altogether and the production cycle will run more smoothly than it has in the past.
5. Greater Safety And Security For Employees
Employees who work alongside robots will be safer than they would be if they were working with other humans. If a robot malfunctions or makes an error due to faulty programming, it’s unlikely that anybody will sustain any type of serious injury as a result. Robots are also better at performing high-risk work and can be deployed in situations that would be too dangerous for people to handle.
6. Reduced Costs And Increased Profits
Using robotics in the aerospace industry will save you money by reducing waste and eliminating any need for human employees. Most robots don’t require wages, insurance or any other types of overhead expenses. This can greatly enhance your company’s profitability because you won’t have to pay out a lot of money to keep your factory running smoothly.
7. Better Safety And Security For Employees
Employees who work alongside robots will be safer than they would be if they were working with other humans. If a robot malfunctions or makes an error due to faulty programming, it’s unlikely that anybody will sustain any type of serious injury as a result. Robots are also better at performing high-risk work and can be deployed in situations that would be too dangerous for people to handle.
Disadvantages Of Robotics In The Aerospace Industry
Aerospace engineers typically use manual drilling when assembling large aircraft components. This process can be very tedious, as the engineers must be very precise when drilling the tiny electronic components.
Between 2012 and 2016, the supply of aerospace robots almost quadrupled, from 159,000 to 294,000 units worldwide.
Robotic technology is playing an increasingly important role in the aerospace industry. Aerospace robotics are used in a variety of manufacturing processes, from the assembly of aircraft components to the inspection of finished products. Vision systems are an essential part of many robotic applications, providing the ability to guide the robot and ensure accuracy.
1. Some People Will Lose Their Jobs
While the growth of robotics will certainly lead to increased safety and efficiency in many factories, it will also lead to job losses for some humans. The manufacturing industry is a highly competitive one, and as robots continue to improve and become more advanced, it’s inevitable that there will be a large amount of human workers that lose their jobs.
2. Robots Can Make Worker Errors More Common
While robots can reduce errors by themselves, human workers can make mistakes themselves without any robot assistance. If a robot malfunctions or makes an error due to faulty programming, it’s unlikely that anybody will sustain any type of serious injury as a result.
3. Safety And Security Will Increase For Some
Because some humans will have to lose their jobs, safety and security will increase for these workers. However, those who are able to keep their jobs may experience an increase in safety risk as they work alongside robots. If a robot malfunctions or makes an error due to faulty programming, it’s unlikely that anybody will sustain any type of serious injury as a result.
4. Human Safety And Security Will Decrease For Some
In 2018, there were 422,000 robot installations, and from 2020 to 2022, it is anticipated to expand by an average of 12% annually (International Federation of Robotics [IFR], 2019; IFR World Robotics, 2017).
Because some humans will lose their jobs, safety and security for human workers may decrease as robots are introduced into the workplace. If a robot malfunctions or makes an error due to faulty programming, it’s unlikely that anybody will sustain any type of serious injury as a result.
5. Workers Will Be Replaced By Robots More Than They Would Be By Humans
The growth of robotics in the aerospace industry means that companies can reduce the number of employees working alongside robots by replacing human workers with robots that are programmed for specific tasks.
This can save employers money by eliminating the need for human employees to perform certain jobs and it can also cut down on wasted effort and energy spent keeping human workers around after they’ve lost their jobs.
6. Robots Will Take Away Jobs From Human Workers
The growth of robotics in the aerospace industry means that companies can reduce the number of employees working alongside robots by replacing human workers with robots that are programmed for specific tasks.
This can save employers money by eliminating the need for human employees to perform certain jobs and it can also cut down on wasted effort and energy spent keeping human workers around after they’ve lost their jobs.
7. More Productivity Can Lead To Higher Prices
As a result of more productivity being achieved through the use of robotics in the manufacturing industry, costs will rise for workers and for consumers alike. This is because there will be fewer employees to perform the same tasks, which means that production costs will go up.
8. High Costs Can Lead To Health And Safety Concerns
High costs that result from using robotics in the manufacturing industry are rooted in increases in productivity and efficiency but can have a negative impact on health and safety. Some companies may cut corners by replacing human workers with robots which could lead to a reduction in both worker safety and company safety overall.
Final Note
It can cost between $100,000 and $150,000 to implement new industrial robotics, including robots, controllers, software, and other systems, for a particular application.
As the robotics industry continues to advance, more and more factories will begin to use robots in their day-to-day operations. This can be beneficial to both employers and workers.
Employers will benefit from increased safety, efficiency, and profits while employees will be free from some of the more dangerous manufacturing tasks that they used to have to perform in the past.
Last Updated on October 11, 2023 by Priyanshi Sharma
