AEROSPACE
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AEROSPACE
DELU robot vehicles are a match for the toughest requirements in aerospace and aviation
The final assembly of aircraft presents enormous challenges on the means of transport that convey the fuselage, the aircraft and the mobile work platforms along the final assembly line. The conditions impose extremely high requirements with considerable cost impact. The use of air cushion transport systems offers a particularly effective and flexible solution to these problems.
DELU has developed innovative tape-guided air cushion robot vehicles for transport of the fuselage and remote-controlled, tape-guided air cushion running gears for the various construction points (cockpit platform, wing root section platforms, tail platforms, mid-section platforms, cargo hold platforms and engine platforms). These computer-controlled vehicles combine the properties of air cushion transport systems and driverless transport systems (AGVs), i.e. enormous flexibility and positioning accuracy alongside a high degree of automation.
Other benefits:
- Investment costs are reduced, productivity boosted and lead times shortened
- Two fuselage transporters can be positioned at any distance to enable adjustment to aircraft of different lengths; similarly, the modular and freely positionable work or paint platforms can be easily adapted to different aircraft contours
- Aircraft transported safely
- Sophisticated monitoring sensors, emergency strategies and redundant analogue measuring systems ensure high degree of operational safety
- Transport system easy to be operate by one employee
- Floating load enables exact positioning accuracy
- Mobile work platforms for paintwork are explosion protected
![Robot vehicles in tandem operation for empty runs and the parked position.](http://www.delu-gmbh.de/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Aerospace_0007_1.jpg?itok=8Rtgi3As)
![The air cushion transporters have a scissors lifting unit and bracing for receiving the sensitive fuselage.](http://www.delu-gmbh.de/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Aerospace_0032.jpg?itok=KaPMFPVM)
![The robot vehicles on air cushions are guided by passive tape technology, can convey loads up to 70m in length and 60t in weight and have a high positioning accuracy.](http://www.delu-gmbh.de/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Aerospace_0028_0.jpg?itok=sFSvhgVw)
![These computer-controlled vehicles combine the properties of air cushion transport systems and driverless transport systems (high flexibility, positioning accuracy and degree of automation).](http://www.delu-gmbh.de/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Aerospace_0025_0.jpg?itok=qam5xuuP)
![The fuselage of this Airbus A321 is taken automatically from the assembly location to the wing assembly station and positioned precisely by the air cushion transports.](http://www.delu-gmbh.de/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Aerospace_0008.jpg?itok=O_dlWNip)
![The lifting units have a high-precision synchronization control. The units have fuselage braces mounted on them to receive the nose and the tail of the aircraft.](http://www.delu-gmbh.de/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Aerospace_0013.jpg?itok=SO3WVfA3)
![Mobile work platforms configured with air cushion running gears are used at the seven points on the Airbus assembly line.](http://www.delu-gmbh.de/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Aerospace_0027_0.jpg?itok=Ftbc4Lkv)
![The running gears consist of modular air cushion cassettes that are moved by means of two pivoting, continuously controllable friction wheel drives.](http://www.delu-gmbh.de/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Aerospace_0018_0.jpg?itok=tDW21xkw)
![Air cushion work platform for engine assembly.](http://www.delu-gmbh.de/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Aerospace_0030_0.jpg?itok=OGrcflrs)
![Tail platforms: all platforms are configured with a device to prevent collisions with the aircraft. This collision protection triggers an immediate emergency stop if required.](http://www.delu-gmbh.de/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Aerospace_0019_0.jpg?itok=GTAspwBi)
![Work platforms on air cushions are also used in helicopter assembly.](http://www.delu-gmbh.de/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Aerospace_0009_0.jpg?itok=njzVZRGY)
![The air cushion cassettes can be easily installed underneath the platforms. These can then be moved simply and conveniently in all directions and positioned precisely.](http://www.delu-gmbh.de/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Aerospace_0010_1.jpg?itok=-3NYd_le)