Simulation Based Planning of Machining Processes with Industrial Robots

Today, especially machining of large, integral constructed structural parts requires expensive machining centers. In contrast, modern industrial robots are characterized by flexible applications, large working spaces and low capital investment. Therefore, they provide high economical potential for machining applications in aerospace industry. However, their constructive characteristics like low stiffness and high sensitivity to vibrations lead to disadvantages compared with conventional machining centers. Due to this, extruded profiles were used as near to shape pre-products to reduce material removal rates within a new approach. Additionally, several methods for offline and online optimization of robot machining processes were developed and integrated in a new process chain for manufacturing of structural fuselage parts. Thereby, the conventional CAD-CAM process planning chain was extended with simulation based analyzation and optimization methods and a load-depending trajectory planning. The methods for offline process optimization within this novel process chain are presented in this paper.