Roboplanes: A Robot Research Paper
by Thomas Jefferson High School Robotics team
It is amazing to think how our technology has advanced from past to present. One moment the Wright Brothers were building what people thought were mediocre “flying machines”, and now we have AIRPLANES! And what’s better than just plane old airplanes? ROBOTS building airplanes! Yes, robots, the machines created by humans to do what we can do or close enough to it. If it was not for robots being made, Dallas BEST would not exist!
As airplane technology grew and became the great travel and cargo industry it is now, robots are also doing the same. They started off small and are now gradually advancing towards a form of technology we use on a daily basis. Robots have opened up new jobs in mechanical, electrical, computer engineering fields and many other fields. It is inspirational, especially for young people, to build simple robots, and see how it can train them for a lucrative career in the ever-changing field of new age technology.
When the Wright Brothers came up with the idea of what we know now as an airplane, everyone thought it was just a joke. They thought of the idea as impossible, yet the Wright Brothers still worked hard on it. On December 17, 1903, those who were doubtful were proven wrong. The Wright Brothers were finally successful with developing their flight machine. If the Wright Brothers could see their invention now and the machinery used to make it, they would be absolutely amazed. When robots were initially created, it was impossible for people to think that robots could be so advanced, or that robots would play such a huge role in our daily lives! This same ridicule happened.
In Nola, Italy, at Alenia Aeronautica, they have assembled a whole line of robots to work on making airplane parts. The people in this plant realized that humans could not do all the work, so they dedicated part of their team to making robots. The robots were involved in almost every aspect in the assembly room. They have automated grippers, drills, and loaders, all programmed to do their job. The cranes involved are placed on the ceiling and can lift up to 18 metric tons of aluminum or titanium to take them to any workstation that needs it. These robots are monitored almost all day and can be easily programmed to do any other job. They are taken care of just like a child and they are frequently observed to see if they have done their job. Another airline that is working to have robots in their assembly line is Qantas Airlines. They are testing out their new idea and seeing if it will be beneficial to their industry. This robot is called the “Snake Arm robot” and is being designed to replace some of the awkward manual procedures necessary in manufacturing intricate aircrafts. It is best to use this design because the robots will be small, making it easier to reach into more crowded parts of the aircraft. Humans can also stay safe, since the robots can do the more dangerous jobs. By Alenia Aeronautica and Qantas Airlines using robots in this way, it will prompt other engineers to make robots that can accomplish the same tasks that humans would do otherwise.
The course this year at Dallas B.E.S.T. shows the technical mastery that engineers needed to accomplish their job. Having robots working to build planes on this playing field is a perfect example of how engineers have created robots that can do human jobs. When our robot goes out on the field and starts to put pieces of the airplane together, it is symbolic of how robots are quickly becoming a part of the assembly line in the aircraft building industry. Soon we can expect to see more airplane manufacturers using some of the same techniques that Alenia Aeronautica and Qantas Airlines are using now. As robots become a bigger phenomenon in the aircraft industry and soon the whole world, it gives us a better glimpse of what the future has in store. By being involved in such a competition, it gives us the skills we need to be the people behind the robots of our future.
References:
http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/Alenia-robots.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright-Brothers
http://www.robotsrule.com/html/robots-qantas-airlines.php