Automated sealant deposition in confined aero-structures

There is currently an industry-wide drive to reduce aircraft construction time, whilst increasing the quality of

manufacture and lowering costs. Removing workers from confined spaces, such as wing-boxes, is also a target

throughout the aerospace sector. This project addresses these key elements by considering the automation of

sealant deposition. Previous development on this topic has focused on open structures and simple seal

geometries. This project will investigate the challenging requirements for automating sealant in confined aero-

structures, as well as targeting the automation of complex seal elements and geometries, such as filleting

corners and initiating and terminating seals. Combining OC Robotics’ world-leading expertise in snake-arm

robots for confined environments and Cranfield University’s extensive knowledge of sealant application

techniques, this partnership has the potential to conduct innovative research, with game-changing results.