Case Study: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems achieves precise 7-axis composite trimming with Robotmaster

7-Axis robot programming solution for trimming of composite parts

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), a leading manufacturer of unmanned aircraft systems, needed a way to program a new 7-axis waterjet robotic work cell for trimming large composite wing assemblies. Although the equipment was installed and ready, GA-ASI’s engineers found that their existing software could not generate tool trajectories from CAD .dxf files for the robot setup, putting production goals for Predator aircraft parts at risk.

Robotmaster provided the solution by adapting its CAD/CAM software to control the robot’s 7th axis, the gantry position, in addition to the standard 6-axis robot. After one day of on-site training, GA-ASI was able to generate and upload final robot programs directly from CAD files, achieving precise trimming to within .005" over 30 feet. With Robotmaster, the company improved quality, increased product output, and justified the equipment investment many times over.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems