An Ensenso 3D camera from IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH plays a crucial role in enhancing accuracy for drilling positions during aircraft cabin assembly.
This advanced technology is part of the DiCADeMA project (Digital Cabin Architectures and Design for Manufacturing), spearheaded by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). The project aims to fully connect processes digitally, improving precision in modern aircraft production by ensuring all components are accurately positioned for safety and quality.
Marking drilling positions
The project's cornerstone is the creation of a continuous digital link from initial design to actual production. Modifications in cabin design, including seat placement or luggage compartment adjustments, are updated directly within the digital design data and seamlessly migrated to production planning. Before any physical production begins, simulations validate these changes.
The project's cornerstone is the creation of a continuous digital link from initial design to actual production
A tangible demonstration involves an automated system to mark drilling positions on an aircraft frame mock-up. This involves several networked systems working in harmony. An autonomous mobile robot (AMR) positions itself strategically near the frame, carrying a lightweight robot that places a marking unit, equipped with a 3D camera, for precise alignment.
Precision through correction values
The camera, an Ensenso N36, employs a three-dimensional point cloud to compare with the CAD data of the aircraft frame.
This comparison identifies any minor deviations, enabling the system to compute precise correction values that are communicated to the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) for control commands. Data exchange occurs securely through a standardised OPC UA interface. The AMR's positioning accuracy of five millimetres ensures the camera's optimal alignment position without collision risk.
Iterative minimisation process
The Ensenso camera acts as a vital connection between digital designs and tangible manufacturing, identifying local geometries and comparing them with reference data.
Techniques like hand–eye calibration facilitate an iterative minimisation process, yielding a transformation matrix for exact drilling position correction. This precise correction allows accurate setting of the drilling position every time.
Performance under demanding conditions
The process is repeated for each installation point with robots and humans co-existing safely
An operator follows the robot, drilling immediately after marking. The process is repeated for each installation point with robots and humans co-existing safely.
The compact Ensenso N36 camera requires minimal working distance, ensuring high accuracy with reduced robot movement. Suited for challenging conditions, its design allows efficient installation, either fixed or on a robot arm, enhancing its versatility for capturing both moving and stationary objects.
Effective operation in challenging environments
The Ensenso camera's integrated projector projects high-contrast patterns onto objects, aiding feature detection even in poor lighting conditions.
The pre-calibrated camera system simplifies and accelerates the setup process. The DLR benefits from improved precision and repeatability due to camera-based alignment, while comprehensive data acquisition offers complete process documentation and traceability. Reduced production times and the elimination of manual adjustments enable assembly teams to focus on construction rather than alignment.
Potential applications beyond aircraft manufacturing
The mock-up demonstration highlights the potential of combining digital processes, robotics, and 3D imaging, with further project phases set to refine system accuracy and algorithm efficiency.
This system, though currently tested in aircraft manufacturing, could revolutionise other industries. It exemplifies how optical sensor technology and smart software advance manufacturing to be networked, efficient, and precisely on target.
An Ensenso 3D camera integrated into an automated process chain ensures accurate detection and alignment of drilling positions in aircraft cabin assembly.
In modern aircraft production, precision is everything. Every hole and every fixing point must be precisely positioned to ensure safety and quality. As part of the DiCADeMA project (Digital Cabin Architectures and Design for Manufacturing) led by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), a novel, fully digitally networked process has been developed. Through intelligent automation, this approach elevates aircraft cabin manufacturing to a new level. A key component in this process is an Ensenso 3D camera from IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH, which ensures highly precise detection and alignment of drilling positions.
Marking drilling positions
The aim of the project is to establish a continuous digital thread from design to production. Changes to the cabin design, such as seat spacing and the associated new position of the luggage compartments, are recorded directly in the digital design data and automatically transferred to production planning. Simulations allow these variants to be validated before any physical component is manufactured. Once digital validation is complete, production can begin immediately.
To make this digital process tangible, an automated system for marking drilling positions was developed on a mock-up of an aircraft frame structure. Several networked systems work together in this setup: An autonomous mobile robot (AMR) approaches the frame and positions itself near the target area. Mounted on the AMR is a lightweight robot that moves the marking unit, including the 3D camera, into the acquisition position. At this point, the Ensenso camera takes over the fine alignment. An integrated Manufacturing Execution System (MES) controls all sub-processes.
Precise correction values
The camera used, an Ensenso N36, captures the environment as a three-dimensional point cloud and matches it against the CAD data of the aircraft frame. In this way, even the smallest deviations between the target model and the actual geometry can be detected. The system uses this data to calculate precise correction values, which are transmitted to the higher-level MES.
Communication takes place via a standardised OPC UA interface, ensuring reliable and secure data exchange between the camera, the robot and the control system. The MES translates the acquired data into concrete control commands for the robot, which then performs the marking of the drilling position. The autonomous robot achieves a positioning accuracy of around five millimeters. This allows the camera to reach the acquisition position without risk of collision.
Iterative minimisation process
The Ensenso camera becomes a key link between digital design and real-world manufacturing: It recognises local geometries, in this case several rivets and the surface on which they are set and compares the captured point clouds with reference data from the CAD.
This comparison is made possible, among other things, by hand–eye calibration and an iterative minimisation process. The result is a transformation matrix that precisely describes the correction required for the drilling position. By applying this correction value, the drilling position can be set precisely.
Demanding environmental conditions
An operator follows the vehicle and drills the hole immediately afterwards at the marked spot. This process is repeated for each installation point, while robots and humans can work safely in close proximity to one another.
For this application in aircraft manufacturing, a compact camera with a very short working distance is required in order to keep the path from the acquisition position to the drilling position as short as possible. This helps to maintain high accuracy and avoids excessive robot movements. The Ensenso N36 meets these requirements. The Ensenso N series has been specially developed for use in demanding environmental conditions. Thanks to its compact design, the camera can be installed in a space-saving manner, either in a fixed position or mounted on a robot arm.
Actual assembly operation
This makes it equally suitable for 3D capture of both moving and stationary objects. The integrated projector ensures high-contrast texture even under challenging lighting conditions: It projects additional structures onto the object surface using a pattern mask with a random dot pattern, thereby supplementing missing or weak features. All cameras are pre-calibrated at the factory and can therefore be put into operation quickly and easily.
The digital process offers the DLR several advantages. Camera-based alignment significantly increases precision and repeatability. At the same time, continuous data acquisition enables complete documentation and traceability of all process steps. Assembly personnel are relieved, as the robot takes over the time-consuming task of position determination, allowing skilled workers to focus on the actual assembly operation. In addition, production times are significantly reduced, as manual measurements or readjustments are no longer necessary.
Actual point clouds
The demonstration on the mock-up clearly illustrates the potential that lies in combining the digital process chain, robotics and 3D image processing. In further project steps, the accuracy of the system and the performance of the evaluation algorithms will be examined in greater detail. This will involve not only the camera itself, but also the optimisation of the mathematical methods used to align nominal and actual point clouds.
What is currently being tested in aircraft manufacturing may also be applied in other industries in the future. The system impressively demonstrates how optical sensor technology and intelligent Software are paving the way for a new era in manufacturing: networked, efficient and precisely on target.
