The sky is now the limit for robots

摘要

Jon Sumner, a technology specialist at Mitsubishi Electric, explains why the aerospace industry is turning to robot-based automation technology Despite the reputation of the aerospace industry for being at the cutting edge of technology, its manufacturing and production processes are still largely craft-based and, therefore, require large amounts of manual labour. This can, of course, introduce inefficiency, inconsistencies and time delays into the process, making it difficult to meet peak demand. Boeing is currently experiencing just such a problem with its A737, and is expected to face similar issues when the new 787Super Jumbo comes into production. Traditionally, aircraft makers have been in a position where they can dictate supply to their customers, but this is now changing, with the industry increasingly looking towards automation to offer a better solution.