AETEC in-house POC

1.4 m representative samples. Develop fixture stiffness, controlled expansion, trimming quality, scanning correlation, coating build and both probe methods. Use one shared datum throughout. The common robot/pedestal and cabinet concept is tested before production design.

Final cell study

2.1 m component study. Existing floor envelope is 4.2 × 4.6 m. The raised fixture and fixed industrial robot require a new height review; the model shows a 4.5 m proposed envelope and 4.0 m shutter opening. These are planning dimensions pending site and structural release.

Air-clearance study

Thickness study

Select a map cell. Synthetic values, not POC measurements.

Raised fixture and vertical C axis

• 1,240 × 1,240 mm removable aluminium carrier on a Ø1,160 mm vertical-axis table.
• Four 80 × 80 mm closed box columns, cross ties and diagonal bracing; no central extrusion mast.
• Two levels of broad internal expanding shoes, screw drives and positive locks. Contact areas and forces depend on laminate/core limits.
• Part lower edge at approximately 1,138 mm above floor, 400 mm above the R5 seat.
• Targets stay on the low base at 560 mm radius. Eight independent locking caps; 160 mm offset cap gripper moves the wrist away from the part.
• Fork pockets, lifting eyes and fold-flat handles remain on the removable carrier. No external top clamp.

Robot and room envelope

• ABB IRB 4600-40/2.55: 40 kg, 2.55 m nominal reach.
• Fixed 1,500 mm pedestal, base centre X −450 / Y −650 mm relative to booth centre.
• OEM revision 05 STEP assembly, articulated link-by-link; rendering uses simplified manufacturer meshes.
• 4,200 × 4,600 × 4,500 mm proposed cell; old 3,300 mm roof shown as a reference.
• Full-width roller shutter with 4,000 mm proposed clear height; 1,300 mm straight loading lane.
• Upper scan and spray approaches use qualified inclined orientations. Scanner field and coating incidence remain POC verification items.

No telescopic riser is drawn in R8. Final payload/inertia, paths, stopping loads, room height and protection arrangement still require engineering release.

Separate clean, abrasive and wet bays

Scanner and probes occupy the clean front group. Sanding and trimming sit farther back along the side wall, separated from optics. The interchangeable spray nozzle has its own extracted wet bay across the cell. Short internal lifts present each tool for sealed coupling; only the requested lid opens.

Dedicated wet-bay extraction limits solvent-vapour accumulation and keeps the discharge away from clean storage. A capped or contained flushing receiver separately controls nozzle drying and residue. Confirm capture, airflow and suitable equipment against the coating SDS and assessed conditions.

Positions: MetraSCAN, sander, interchangeable spray nozzle, cap gripper, air knife/vacuum, edge trimmer, needle indicator and optional touch probe. The paint tank remains inside the booth; the dedicated dust collector and controller are outside.

Tracking and common structure

The C-Track sits high on two uprights with cross beams, triangulated cantilevers and diagonal bracing, tied to the modular base. It is enclosed during spraying, sanding, trimming, needle penetration and cleaning.

The common frame connects the robot pedestal, table, magazine and tracking support. The no-floor-anchor arrangement remains subject to stiffness, vibration, sliding, overturning and floor-bearing calculations.

Needle thickness probing

The supplied Mitutoyo 543-700B indicator CAD is incorporated in a proposed robotic head. A surface foot provides the local coating reference; a controlled needle advances through the coating. Select 20, 32 or 40 sites after final optical scanning. Pair each approved site with its registered scan coordinate, profile difference and measured needle depth; investigate disagreement before accepting coating results.

Qualify coating/substrate endpoint on representative coupons. Establish force and depth limits, foot seating, compliance correction, zero/span checks and repeatability. Robot coordinates alone are not a thickness measurement. Record every penetration location and its approved repair or sample disposition.

Touch probe ↔ 3D scan correlation

A separate touch-trigger head qualifies on a protected ceramic sphere. After the initial scan, the sequence probes six fixture top faces and 16 supported laminate-face locations, then rechecks the sphere for drift. After trimming and clean release, it repeats qualified supported-face checks to correlate with the post-trim scan. Touch → latch coordinate → stop → retract; index the C axis only after retract.

Exposed honeycomb cut sides or pocket edges may offer no reliable contact point. Avoid core voids and unsupported edges. Use accessible supported laminate faces near the feature; keep qualified optical inspection for the opening and edge contour. Use the qualified stylus, speed and orientation. Sphere qualification does not establish CMM accuracy; demonstrate system uncertainty against traceable references and the agreed component tolerances.

Cleaning and release

After trimming or sanding, keep the tool attached and present the head, wrist and distal arm to the extracted cleaning hood. Vacuum first, then use controlled air with capture. Vacuum the closed dirty docking cover and seals before opening the bay and returning the tool. Clean the part and still-covered fixture before approaching the scanner. Rear extraction alone does not prove capture.

After spraying, wait for both atmosphere clearance and coating flash/cure conditions before blow-off or probing. A five-minute timer is only an example; cleanliness, coating stability, airflow and temperature determine release.

Simulation and collision evidence

The source package includes the numerical joint limits, official robot link geometry, modeled tool geometry and collision-check records. Process contact surfaces are distinguished from unintended interference. Layout changes address the target/trimmer conflict and the original cabinet approach.

This is a geometric concept study. Exact part CAD, flexible dress packs, tool loads, stopping distance, continuous OEM validation and physical commissioning are separate release requirements. R8 sampled 4,212 simulated states across three configurations with no rigid-proxy interference reported. This is a sampled geometric check; it does not certify continuous swept clearance, the final supplier dress pack or every structural detail.