Software Toolchain for Offline-Programming a Jig-Less Fiber Placement Process Using Cooperating Robots

Abstract

Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) is one technology that can be used to produce lightweight Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) aircraft parts which can help in the decarbonization of the aviation industry. Usually this process requires an expensive, rigid mold into which the material is laid using a tape laying head. By using a second industrial robot with a specialized counter-endeffector, the need for a mold can be avoided. However, in order to be able to efficiently program two industrial robot simultaneously, an end-to-end offline-programming (OLP) approach is needed. This paper demonstrates a software toolchain covering the whole process from initial computer aided design (CAD) to the final robot controller programs.