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

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems boosts wing flap hinge precision to 0.005" with Robotmaster

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), a leading manufacturer of unmanned aircraft systems, faced a challenge in programming its newly acquired 7-axis robotic waterjet work cell. The sophisticated equipment was ideal for trimming large composite aircraft parts, but the company's engineers discovered that available software could not generate the necessary tool paths directly from CAD files, jeopardizing their production commitments.

The vendor, Robotmaster, adapted its offline programming software to control the system's 7th axis. This solution enabled GA-ASI's engineers to quickly generate precise robot programs from CAD models. The implementation resulted in increased production output and achieved a precision of .005 inches over a 30-foot length, fully meeting the company's quality objectives and justifying the investment many times over.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems