Report
Teaser, summary, work performed and final results
Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RODEO (Robotized Orbital Drilling Equipment and Optimized residual stresses)
Teaser
RODEO has been launched to respond to a Call for Project from the European Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking. The consortium consists in five partners: three industrial companies (PRECISE as orbital drilling solutions provider; KUKA as robotic integrator; and MITIS as expert in...
Summary
RODEO has been launched to respond to a Call for Project from the European Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking. The consortium consists in five partners: three industrial companies (PRECISE as orbital drilling solutions provider; KUKA as robotic integrator; and MITIS as expert in drilling technologies and processes) and two research labs, respectively parts of Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier and of Université de Nantes.
The main objective of the RODEO project is to propose lightweight robotized orbital milling equipment as well as appropriate cutting tools and operating conditions, to enable drilling of tightly spaced small diameter holes in aluminium with the control of induced residual stresses. This will be accomplished by:
• Modelling the phenomena involved in orbital drilling that impact residual stresses
• Developing a combined drilling and burnishing tool and associated operating conditions to attain required residual stresses
• Pursuing the development of a high-speed orbital drilling unit (existing in the consortium) capable to drive the tool in the prescribed conditions
• Integrating the developed orbital drilling unit on a lightweight industrial robot
• Defining the operating conditions of the lightweight robot to be used to ensure the drilling operation
Work performed
18 months after its launch, the RODEO project is starting to produce the expected results. A 2D and 3D modeling work on the residual stresses induced by an helical burnishing operation in aluminum holes has been carried out and makes it possible to better control this phenomenon.
An innovative combined drilling and burnishing tool has been imagined, designed and tested. The results obtained show a significant increase in the level of residual stresses in the wall of the hole, compared with a conventional orbital drilling process. Fatigue test should highlight the helical burnishing benefits.
A compact and lightweight orbital drilling head has also been imagined and designed. The first prototypes are being finalized and tested; their performance and weight allow to consider their use at the end on a compact and lightweight robotic arm.
The adaptation of the drilling head on an IIWA type arm from KUKA is also being dynamically studied, in order to define and optimize the phenomena of rigidity and resistance to vibrations. This aspect of the study will be finalized in the second part of the project, with the implementation of a demonstrator.
Final results
The progress achieved at this stage of the RODEO project is encouraging and makes possible to consider the achievement of the ambitious objectives initially assigned. Increasing and controlling of the level of residual stresses in small holes of an aluminum-containing stack appears realistic, and have to be validated by on-going fatigue tests and simulation works. The potential of the drilling tool and drilling head also suggests an opportunity to have at the end of the project a validated integrated system of robotic orbital drilling, compact and lightweight, capable of performing the work expected by the aeronautic contractors involved in Clean Sky 2.
Website & more info
More info: https://rodeo-orbital.eu/.