José Manuel Guerra – Head of Aerostructures Manufacturing Engineering (Berantevilla)
9 July 2024
The growth and challenges ahead of us in the assembly of the CWB A220 in the coming years, made the production team and the industrialization team think of a concept of an auxiliary cell to the Takt Line that would help to raise the production above the rate 12 initially offered. With this objective in mind, we developed the concept of the Minitakt Line, which is an auxiliary assembly line for the production of the CWB A220 Joint that adopts the same assembly sequence concept of the Takt Line, but with a smaller size and some fundamental differences:
-Instead of 5 assembly tools, this auxiliary line has three. Basically, the current operations performed in steps 1 and 2 of the Takt Line will be performed in the pre-robot tooling of the Minitakt Line, and the operations of steps 4 and 5 of the Takt Line will be integrated in the post-robot tooling, keeping the robot operations of step 3 of the TL in the third tooling of the Minitakt Line.
-In this cell two of the tooling, pre- and post-robot, are fixed, unlike the Takt Line where all are mobile.
-There is only one fixed robot on the platform, instead of the two mobile ones in the Takt Line.
-Automated drilling tasks are still performed with a robot, with the tooling turning with the help of the AGV, to allow the robot to access both panels, with the position of the tooling controlled by an RFID system.
Concrete Achievements
Implementation of a Flexible Cell with Dedicated Robot
One of the most outstanding achievements has been the implementation of a flexible cell with a dedicated robot, which automates the process in a similar way as it is done in the Takt Line. This will improve quality and efficiency, reducing cycle time and increasing drilling process capability by 4 to 5 sigma over the previous situation of exclusively manual tooling.
In addition, we have had the opportunity to ship the robot on a linear track of 10 meters in length, larger than the dimensions of the current Takt Line cells, which opens the possibility for future automation of larger products.
Integration of Best Practices
The Minitakt Line has integrated all of the improvements and advances developed in Takt Line drilling, including greater process accuracy and control and improved operational efficiency. Each step has been a collaborative effort to build on previous achievements.
Automation of Batching and Hole Measuring Processes
Automation of the bending and bore measurement processes ensures that parts are held firmly in place during assembly and that bores are accurately measured automatically. These changes will improve quality control of the final product and reduce manual time for operations that do not add much value.
Future Plans
Achieve a Stable Production of 14 Units
Our commitment is to ensure that the Minitakt Line can help achieve a stable production rate of 14 units by implementing optimization measures and adjustments to the production line to ensure an efficient workflow.
Development of Additional Automated Processes
We are working on the development of additional automated processes, such as bead sealing on large parts, which will initially be integrated into the Minitakt Line, before being implemented on the Takt Line. This approach minimizes risks and will avoid efficiency losses on the main production line.
Impact on the Different Departments
Production: The Minitakt Line will offer greater stability and reduce cycle times, although it has and will imply a change in the way of working and the need for continuous adaptation to the implementation of new automated processes.
Quality: Advances in automated measurement will ensure more automated control of the final product. This will lead to adjusting product control plans.
Manufacturing engineering: The integration of new technologies will require close collaboration with the manufacturing engineering department, which will support and oversee the implementation of additional automated processes, similar to what was done with automated drilling on the Takt Line and MPP.
Maintenance: The maintenance team will need to be prepared to support the new technology, ensuring that the robots and automated systems operate optimally through corrective, preventive and predictive maintenance.
Industrialization: The Industrialization Team shall ensure the efficiency of the automated processes and collaborate closely with the rest of the departments to receive direct feedback that will revert in future automations.
Conclusion
The Minitakt Line is a crucial component in our CWB A220 Joint production strategy, providing essential support to the Takt Line. With the achievements made and future plans defined, we are in a strong position to achieve production and quality targets.
This project reflects our commitment to improvement and innovation, always aware that each advance is a step forward in a path of constant evolution.
