When it comes to digital design, simulation, and engineering, aerospace manufacturers have outpaced every other industry, by far
The greater challenge here is to physically manufacture what’s been digitally designed and planned. Aligned Vision innovations have been helping manufacturers bridge this virtual-physical divide throughout our company history. And our most recent innovations are no exception.
Proven Track Record
In the 1990s, our “templates of light” cut aerospace composites production cycles by upwards of 80%. Before our breakthrough LASERGUIDE 3D industrial laser projection, fabricators stocked whole warehouses of mylar and fiberglass templates. To lay up each ply, operators had to locate the right template, lift it into place, carefully align and pin it to the tool, scribe around it, remove it, and return it to the warehouse. They repeated this procedure hundreds of times. LASERGUIDE directly accesses CAD data and displays each ply’s template instantly.
Relentless Innovation
Collaborating with major aerospace and defense OEMs, Aligned Vision continues to uncover hidden costs and target those costs with innovative solutions:
- Multitasking multiplies the jobs each LASERGUIDE and LASERVISION performs
- AutoAim and AutoFocus further automate templating tasks
- Automatic alignment features eliminate setup procedures and time
- BUILDGUIDE enables paperless fabrication
- ALIGN 4.0 brings Industry 4.0 productivity and performance to quality operations on the aerospace manufacturing floor
Today we are transforming aerospace shop floors with AI-enabled LASERVISION automatic inspection and our Industry 4.0 integration readiness. LASERVISION is a mature automatic inspection technology, and artificial intelligence opens the door to rapid application development for your manual and automated production processes.
| LASERGUIDE/LASERVISION FEATURE | BENEFITS TO AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING |
|---|---|
| Performs best-in-class laser templating | Accelerates layup processes and other manual tasks |
| Offers accuracy of ±0.010″ / 0.25 mm | Exceeds Boeing D6-55902 requirements |
| Provides operators with electronic work instructions | Facilitates the paperless factory Helps ensure that processes are carried out as planned |
| Enables tablet- or phone-size remote control | Eliminates step-away time to consult the work cell controller |
| Supports self-guided training (initial and continuing) | Ensures all features are used correctly and to maximum benefit |
| Operates 4m or more away from production equipment | Does not interfere with or disrupt production equipment Value-added operations continue while inspections are performed |
| Captures detailed, calibrated high-resolution images in 4m x 4m envelope | Enables inspection of large 3D surfaces with complex contours High-magnification camera provides required detail in each image (typically 20cm x 20cm) |
| Verifies attributes and flags nonconformances for immediate corrective action | Enables inspection of all attributes (not just a sampling) Keeps nonconformances from advancing through production |
| Pinpoints anomalies with laser projector | Directs operators efficiently to the anomaly’s location |
| Feeds the as-built digital twin | Enhances traceability with images and data for the life of the component Provides data needed for deep learning and continuous process improvement |
Some Aligned Vision Aerospace Customers
Alenia* | BAE Systems | Bell-Textron | Boeing | Bombardier* | Cessna | Elbit Systems-Cyclone | Electroimpact* | General Atomics | General Dynamics | GKN Aerospace | Hamilton Sundstrand | Kaman | KHI* | Korean Aerospace* | Korean Air | Leonardo | Lockheed Martin* | NASA | Northrop Grumman | Park Aerospace | Sikorsky Aircraft | SpaceX | Spirit AeroSystems* | Triumph Aerostructures*
* Switched from another laser vendor