Composite Gripper For Double Curvature Surfaces

The
adoption of advanced composites structures is spreading across a wide range of industries
from aerospace to automotive and wind energy. This is driven by both an organic
development model and a regulatory one. The use of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP)
has the potential to massively reduce the weight of structures without compromising
performance. Lower weight means lower fuel burn and therefore lower emissions, sometimes
with even higher performance than would be achieved had metallic components been utilised.
There are many stages involved in the production of a CFRP component. Operations can
include cutting of fabric into patterns, layup of material into a mould, inspection, trimming
and finishing. All of these can include an element of handling, a job that to a large extent is
performed manually.
The objective of the project proposed here is to develop a flexible gripper system suitable for
use in automated handling operations. The gripper will be modular, scaleable and suitable for
mounting on a variety of deployment systems be they robotic or gantry based. The system will
be infinitely configurable for the material shape and surface profile to the extent it can pick or
place onto a surface with curvature in two dimensions. The gripper can be operated in normal
or inverted horizontal planes or place onto vertical surfaces as the application demands. This
will mean the same gripper concept can be used for a wide range of components ranging from
wing skins and engine nacelles in the aerospace world to roof and body panels in the
automotive environment. The gripper being configurable allows for numerous sizes and
shapes of component to be processed using a single gripper.