Aerospace supplier GKN Fokker has acquired an automated kitting solution from composites company Airborne.
The system is to be installed at GKN Fokker’s facility in Papendrecht, the Netherlands by mid-2019 and it will be implemented in a phased approach. Airborne will first implement a stand-alone sorting system by which the system can automatically detect any random ply given to the system by the operator. In a second phase, automated ply picking from the nest will be added.
According to the company, the automated kitting machine can reduce costs by saving on man-hours and material scrap, and enables a flexible and digital workflow. The translation from nesting files to machine controls and sorting optimisation is automated and no programming is needed. It also ensures digital tracking of the sorting and eliminates any mistakes.
This story is reprinted from material from GKN, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
