The adoption of the seventh axis in the automatic robotic spraying of aircraft wings is mainly aimed at overcoming the limitations of traditional six-axis robots when spraying aircraft wings, expanding the working range of the robots and increasing the flexibility of spraying. The following is a detailed introduction:
Generally, industrial robots are six-axis. The robotic seventh axis is a movable motion platform, commonly known as the "robotic seventh axis", abbreviated as the "seventh axis". Common installation methods include ground rails, overhead rails, and vertical rails. Ground rails are directly laid on the ground, which is simple to install; overhead rails are mounted in the air, and the system structure is relatively complex; vertical rails are liftable mobile platforms, often installed on horizontally moving ground rails, which can expand the robot's range of motion in both horizontal and vertical dimensions.
Expanding the Working Range: Aircraft wings are large in size and complex in shape. The working space of traditional six-axis robots is limited, making it difficult to achieve comprehensive coverage spraying of the wings. By adding the seventh axis, the robot can move in a larger space and spray along the length and width directions of the wing, ensuring that all parts of the wing are evenly sprayed.
Improving Spraying Quality: The seventh axis enables the robot's spray gun to maintain a constant distance from the surface of the wing, avoiding the problem of uneven spraying thickness caused by changes in distance. At the same time, the robot can accurately spray according to the preset trajectory, reducing possible deviations in manual operation, ensuring the uniformity and consistency of the coating, and improving the appearance quality and corrosion resistance of the wing.
Enhancing Flexibility: During the spraying process, different parts of the wing may require different spraying methods, such as the leading edge, trailing edge, upper and lower surfaces of the wing. The seventh axis allows the robot to flexibly adjust its position and angle to adapt to various complex spraying requirements. For some hard-to-reach areas, effective spraying can also be achieved through the movement of the seventh axis.
Increasing Production Efficiency: With the assistance of the seventh axis, the robot can quickly move to different spraying positions, reducing the time for the robot to reposition and adjust, thus improving the spraying efficiency. In addition, the robot can work continuously for 24 hours. Compared with manual spraying, it greatly shortens the spraying cycle of aircraft wings and meets the needs of large-scale production.
High Motion Precision: Through encoder detection and servo system control of the motor, high-precision position control is achieved to ensure the positioning accuracy of the robot during the spraying process. Generally, the accuracy can reach within the range of ±0.05mm.
Fast Running Speed: Within the effective stroke range, the basic speed is between 1.2m - 1.8m and can be adjusted according to actual needs, enabling the robot to be quickly moved to the specified position and improving the spraying efficiency.
Strong Load Capacity: It can bear the weight of the robot and spraying equipment and maintain stability during the movement process to ensure the smooth progress of the spraying operation.
High Reliability: Using high-quality materials and advanced manufacturing processes, it has high rigidity and stability. At the same time, it is equipped with a complete protection mechanism and limit mechanism to reduce the probability of failures and improve the reliability and service life of the system.
High Cost-effectiveness: Compared with using multiple six-axis robots for spraying, adopting the seventh axis can reduce the number of robots, lowering the equipment procurement cost and maintenance cost. At the same time, it improves the utilization rate of paint and reduces paint waste, further reducing the production cost.
Good Safety: It liberates workers from the harsh spraying environment, reducing their direct contact with harmful substances and lowering the risk of occupational diseases. In addition, robotic operation can also reduce the incidence of safety accidents caused by human errors, ensuring the safety and stability of the production process.
Strong Adaptability: It can flexibly adjust the length, stroke, and motion trajectory of the seventh axis according to the size and shape of different models of aircraft wings to adapt to various spraying requirements. At the same time, it can also be integrated with other automated equipment and production lines to achieve a more efficient production process.
