This site uses cookies in order to improve your user experience and to provide content tailored specifically to your interests. Detailed information on the use of cookies on this website is provided in our Privacy Policy. You can also manage your preferences there. By using this website, you consent to the use of cookies.
Coexpair Dynamics reaches new heights with SINUMERIK ONE
Coexpair Dynamics reaches new heights with SINUMERIK ONE
Aerospace
Coexpair Dynamics SRL
Namur Belgium
The
aerospace industry has long relied on hand lay-up techniques for composite part
manufacturing, akin to an additive layering process. The automation of lay-up
processes using tape materials in the 1980's marked a significant advancement.
This innovation allowed for increased deposition speed, improved repeatability,
higher quality, and reduced raw material costs. Coexpair
Dynamics took this a step further with their fiber deposition machine, which
places narrow strips of carbon fiber on molds before curing.
These machines make use of three key technologies: the reliable fiber placement head developed by Trelleborg Sealing Solutions with over thirty years of experience in the business, the robust and accurate Gantry platform from Pegard Productics and the advanced control system and robot technology developed by Siemens.
The
machine is equipped with Trelleborg's thermoset automated fiber placement
technology, which has been integrated with SINUMERIK ONE software system. This digital-native CNC (Computer Numerical Control)
system stands as the forefront CNC system, tailored for highly productive
machine tools. It isn't merely a hardware innovation; it represents a
fundamental shift in how CNC systems interact with the digital world. The
software is designed to facilitate faster innovation by seamlessly integrating
the virtual and real worlds, offering unprecedented opportunities, ideas, and
business models for manufacturers. Coexpair Dynamics embraced SINUMERIK ONE in the development of
their fiber deposition machine. Two models, one control
The core of Coexpair
Dynamics' fiber deposition machine is Siemens' SINUMERIK ONE, the latest
generation of numerical command technology. The machine exists both in a gantry
set-up and in a robot version. Both types operate on the control software SINUMERIK Operate and can therefore be controlled in the same way by the user.
This is possible thanks to SINUMERIK Run MyRobot /DirectControl.
This software
solution allows the robot's movements to be integrated into the CNC control.
Not only does this greatly simplify the operation for the user, the robot's
movements approach the same accuracy that is known for CNC machines.
Compared
to traditional hand lay-up, Automated Fiber Placement offers exceptional speed,
which means the deposition speed can be increased by a factor of ten or more,
depending on the part's complexity. The fiber deposition machine also provides
a higher level of precision, especially in contouring plies.
Cédric
De Roover, business unit manager at Coexpair Dynamics
Siemens digital twin technology allows to reduce
development and manufacturing time, and by consequence the energy required to
produce parts. By combining this proven state-of-the-art technology with the experience and background of the Coexpair Dynamics experts in the aerospace industry, Coexpair Dynamics reaches a high level of performance for optimal precision and speed in the production of parts.
This software solution allows the robot's movements to be integrated into the CNC control. Not only does this greatly simplify the operation for the user, the robot's movements approach the same accuracy that is known for CNC machines.
Energy reduction
Siemens'
control components were already the standard in the aerospace industry”, knows
André Bertin, CEO at Coexpair and Coexpair Dynamics. Relying on this new
technology will help us to gain faster market confidence in our solutions and
ensure the quality that our customers and prospects expect. By utilizing the
digital twin technology, we reduce the development time and the manufacturing
time, and by consequence the energy required to produce parts." “Now, thanks to the innovation in the manufacturing process of
composite parts and with the support of digital twin software, the energy
consumption can be greatly improved.
The entire industry tries to reduce the
amount of required energy, which means the efficiency gain of our production
method is significant for all our clients, such as Airbus and Boeing.”
Enhanced precision with CC Roco
One
standout feature in Coexpair Dynamics' collaboration with Siemens is CC Roco. CC Roco (Compile Cycle) is a
mechatronic extension function for 6-axis robots. It allows for increased
positioning and machining path accuracy as well as improved axis dynamics.
Through precontrol of the torque, compensation of external forces, 3D nodding
compensation and dynamic adaptation of acceleration and jerk in forward motion,
CC Roco improves positioning behavior and shortens the machining time.
The
precision of the equipment was initially assessed "out of the box,"
without calibration. Subsequent measurements, after the activation of CC Roco
and dynamic compensations, showed a considerably more linear and consistent
robotic behavior.
Ongoing optimization efforts, including data exchanges with
Siemens Germany, are fine-tuning CC Roco parameters for even better
performance. “CC Roco is a great example of our continued collaboration with
Siemens in the further development of this technology,” says Cédric De Roover.
New standards
Siemens'
partnership with Coexpair Dynamics has resulted in groundbreaking technology
for the aerospace industry. The SINUMERIK ONE numerical command technology,
along with RunMyRobot DirectControl and Create My Virtual Machine, provides a
unique combination of performance, accuracy, and flexibility. Throughout the
collaboration, Siemens offered continuous support, from technology selection to
development and commissioning. This integrated approach has enabled Coexpair
Dynamics to develop state-of-the-art equipment that pushes the boundaries of
what's possible in aerospace manufacturing. A bright future of collaboration
The
story of Coexpair Dynamics and Siemens demonstrates what can be achieved when
innovation and industry expertise come together. As both companies continue to
work together, they are set to unlock new functionalities and further improve
their equipment, ensuring the aerospace industry remains at the forefront of
automation and precision. This partnership represents a commitment to advancing
technology and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in manufacturing with
Siemens' SINUMERIK ONE technology.
Aerospace manufacturer Coexpair Dynamics
incorporates Siemens’ SINUMERIK ONE software system in a new solution to
optimize the precision and speed of the production process of composite parts
for the aerospace industry.