Collaborative research project focuses on intelligent fixturing and assembly

A pan-European team of researchers is beginning work on solving some of the most pressing problems facing companies manufacturing everything from jet engines to washing machines.

The AFFIX project brings together universities, large companies and SMEs from across Europe in a collaborative research venture to develop new manufacturing technologies and processes. AFFIX focuses on problems involving the handling and assembly of large and complex components.

Project members have identified specific real-world problems facing the industrial partners. These problems form the basis for four demonstrator projects which aim to provide a proof of principle of new techniques which companies can put into practice on their own production lines.

The industrial partners come from a range of manufacturing sectors, but all face related problems in making and assembling complex components:

Automotive
Fiat is one such industrial partner. From the many components manufactured by the Italian automotive group, the AFFIX team have selected clutch housings for investigation. These housings are cast and then milled to a precise shape. Problems can arise because of how the component is held during the milling process - the clamping system in combination with the machining loads can induce stresses in the component, which can then deform when released from its fixtures.

"We want to understand, when we design a new component, the real risk of residual deformation and how we should design the fixturing system to avoid this problem," says Mauro Comoglio, head of machining technology at Centro Recerche Fiat.

The AFFIX demonstrator project aims to develop an intelligent fixturing system that senses the changing stresses within the component as it is milled, and automatically adjusts its grip to avoid final deformation.

"This for Fiat is only the first step," Mauro Comoglio adds. "Our objective is to integrate these intelligent fixturing systems in our production lines for all critical operations in order to reach the highest quality standards."

Domestic appliances
Another industrial partner is Electrolux. Headquartered in Sweden, the domestic appliance group has its largest manufacturing plant in Porcia, northern Italy, producing some 11,000 appliances per day. With such a high output, maintaining quality can be a major challenge.

One persistent problem involves washing machine drums. If these cylindrical steel assemblies are not perfectly balanced, or are not perfectly aligned within the tub, the vibrations can cause serious problems. The AFFIX demonstrator team is developing new automatic methods to ensure the drums are perfectly balanced and bolted every time.

"The quality problems relate to a small percentage of output, but that is reflected in the image that you have in the market," says Tiziano Maraldo, R&D consultant for Electrolux. "We have to eliminate that problem while keeping the cost of production low. Now, we are working with AFFIX on practical ways to solve it."

Aerospace
Several industrial partners in the AFFIX project come from the aerospace sector, where companies are struggling to improve both productivity and environmental performance in a highly competitive market.

European aerospace giant EADS is exploring novel robotic and sensing technology for assembling complex systems. A particular problem is integrating the piping nd cabling of an aircraft flight system with the large structural components.

"Our aircraft are designed for structures, not for systems," says Hugo Falgarone of EADS' Innovation Works. "We design an aircraft, then try and put in the pipes and wires where we can, which takes a long time. The level of automation in assembly is near to zero."

The AFFIX demonstrator project aims to create an automated method for assembling the system components with the pylon, the structure that connects the engine to the wing.

Engine component manufacturer Volvo Aero is meanwhile aiming to reduce the weight of its products. For some applications, this involves replacing cast titanium components with lighter components made of several machined parts welded together. "This can help us with fuel consumption and environmental considerations," notes project manager Tomas Örtendahl. But, as with Fiat, a new approach is needed to avoid the deformation of these sub-parts while they are machined and welded.

Other industrial partners are keen to learn what they can from the collaborative project. "AFFIX is assisting us in developing assembly techniques that will enable us to achieve world-class performance," says Stuart Bone, capability acquisition manager at Rolls-Royce UK. "We're not looking for a specific solution, but there may be something that we can develop out of the project."

From the laboratory to the production line
Now that the specific problems have been identified and analysed, the serious work can begin. In the second stage of the four-year AFFIX project, researchers working in six countries are refining their simulations and investing in the state-of-the-art equipment needed to tackle these problems.

Each demonstrator demands a cross-disciplinary approach, involving robotics, mechanical engineering and design, computer modelling and simulation, and sensor technology. The breadth of research expertise in the participating universities and research centres will help bring new thinking and innovative technology to bear on these industrial problems.

"We have significant experience of working with university research centres and find them very useful," says Stuart Bone. "They're very good at looking behind the problem because of their experience outside the industry. They see the big picture."

Keith Ridgway, research director at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and AFFIX project leader, adds: "The project is a good example of how academics from a range of disciplines can work with industry to solve real problems."