InFactory Solutions with Airbus
Airbus spin-off supplying Industry 4.0 systems for composites completes first qualification and discusses future developments for defect position visualization.
Source: InFactory video on YouTube.
InFactory Solutions (Taufkirchen, Germany) is an Airbus subsidiary created in 2016 to deliver automated, connected and intelligent systems for manufacturing. It offers sensor systems, data analytics and engineering consulting services mainly for composites production.
Its vision is that each step in a composites production process will be fully monitored and connected to a central data base that is analyzing for efficiency and may also optimize and adapt the production according to evolving needs.
Below is the latest video update from InFactory’s LinkedIn site, showing Airbus qualification of InFactory’s AFP sensor system for inline inspection in MTorres equipment. Note that InFactory Solutions managing director Franz Engel said the company is working on different concepts to help production workers visualize the exact position of defects detected by such sensor systems. “We are using laser projection systems; in the near future we will move to augmented reality systems.”
Also, of note is MTorres operations director for machine tools Borja Aroca’s statement, “I believe in the close future, all of our machines will integrate online inspection systems to ensure the quality of the parts we are producing.”
More background on InFactory from my blog after CAMX 2016:
New Airbus subsidiary developing digital composites production for Industry 4.0
In an 8:30 am session on Sep. 29, Christian Weimer, head of Domain Composite Materials & Process for Airbus Group Innovations (Munich, Germany), spoke about “Increasing the Productivity of CFRP Production Processes”. Speaking mainly through the lens of increasing predictability and reliability, Weimer introduced where we are today and what is needed in order to make sure composites compete successfully on future airframes — one example: today, we have point measurements via laser scanning, but we need automated, inline 3D scanning.
He then announced that this summer Airbus spun off a new subsidiary, InFactory Solutions (Ottobrunn, Germany), that will develop, qualify and deliver sensor systems, data analytics and engineering consulting services for more automated, connected and intelligent manufacturing. Its first commercialization is a sensor that is applied directly to Airbus Group’s automated fiber placement (AFP) production for in-process quality monitoring of composite production that reduces inspection time by > 95%. The sensor can be used on any AFP head (e.g. AFPT, Coriolis, Electroimpact, Fives, Ingersoll, MTorres) and is qualified per Airbus Process Spec (AIPS).
Airbus’ Illescas, Spain plant is already testing the system for A350 XWB production, with German sites Airbus Group Helicopters in Donauworth and Premium Aerotec in Augsburg following by year-end. InFactory Solutions currently will offer its products & services to suppliers worldwide and aims to develop solutions for the complete composites process chain including other layup methods, cure, machining, etc.
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