Lockheed Martin Invests in Next-Generation Composites Automation
Lockheed Martin is investing in next-generation composite automation systems. Photo courtesy Airborne BV
THE HAGUE, Netherlands—Lockheed Martin Corp. is investing in composite automation systems made by Airborne BV. The two companies plan to develop an automated laminating and kitting system. The project will build on Airborne’s advanced Automated Ply Placement (APP) and Kit by Light (KBL) technologies.
“This collaboration with Lockheed Martin…will enable us to accelerate our mission of pushing the boundaries of automated composites manufacturing,” says James McLachlan, head of sales at Airborne.
“The Lockheed Martin Airborne collaboration will integrate smart material kit creation with advanced data driven automation for a flexible production system that enables the next-generation of aerospace fabrication,” adds Tara Thomasson, technical fellow at Lockheed Martin.
“APP is a novel manufacturing method for high-rate production of composite parts, either in prepreg, thermoplastic or dry fiber,” explains McLachlan. “It creates tailored blanks or parts by efficiently cutting the material into the required ply shapes, picking and placing them into the laminate at high accuracy.
“KBL is an augmented reality [system] for improving the productivity of the ply cutting and kitting process, and at the same time reduce the material waste,” McLachlan points out. “It supports the operator during the ply offloading and kitting operation, and uses unique and patented software to create sequenced kits in one step."
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