Vision-guided robotic system for aero-engine inspection and dynamic balancing

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Automation
• Aerospace Engineering
• Manufacturing Technology

Background:

• Manual weighing of aero-engine blades is critical for mass inspection and dynamic balancing but remains a challenge.
• Existing automation in aircraft inspection has not fully addressed the complexities of blade weighing.
• Intricate blade geometry and high precision requirements hinder manual process automation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel vision-guided robotic system for autonomous aero-engine blade weighing.
• To overcome the challenges associated with manual weighing processes in the aerospace industry.
• To develop a system that integrates robotic perception and high-precision weighing.

Main Methods:

• Development of a unique end-effector integrating a high-precision load cell and an imaging sensor.
• Implementation of a vision-guided robotic system for autonomous perception and weighing.
• Testing and validation of the system in industrial environments.

Main Results:

• The system achieved a weighing precision of 0.0404 g.
• The system demonstrated a weighing accuracy of 0.0252 g.
• The robotic system offers seamless integration into existing industrial setups without reconfiguration.

Conclusions:

• The developed vision-guided robotic system successfully automates aero-engine blade weighing.
• The system meets stringent precision and accuracy requirements for aerospace applications.
• This innovation facilitates easier integration into current manufacturing facilities.