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INDUSTRIAL FINISHING: AEROSPACE COATINGS

demanding physical labor – and extensive physi-
cal hazards – of coating operations can be avoided,
making jobs more dynamic, more attractive and
more self-directed in ways that today’s young
workforce appreciates.
In the case of aerospace coatings in particular,
this is useful due to the great detail of parts which
means that allowing a CAD file to be used for
processing can eliminate any imprecisions that
might still make their way into a robotic system.
Finally, by being able to specify part surfaces,
different specific goals can be met depending on
where a part is placed in final assembly, “which
coatings go where” or in delivering particular
attention to certain part faces during MRO
Omnirobotic’s Shape-to-Motion platform provides an example of how processes. In all cases, adaptable, autonomous
process know-how can be incorporated in the planning robotics technology becomes a new tool that radically alters how
component of an autonomous robot. Because spray processes have spray processes can be organized and goals can be achieved.
such a wide variety of know-how to incorporate, autonomous robots
are uniquely suited to accelerate the value and payback generated
in spray processes. Where “Rethink” Escapes “Groupthink”
The core benefits of autonomy come in the ability to escape the
intensive requirements of programming, jigging and rework and
instead have something “done for you”. The base value of this is
that is used to identify the process know-how to be engaged, faces tremendous, but the strategic value that comes in being able to
and surfaces of parts can be specified and – even in conveyor rethink how spray finishing processes are planned and executed –
scenarios – be instructed to be painted each by a particular robot in as much as they require any human planning and coordination at
with a particular color or type of coating already loaded up. all – cannot be underestimated.
In this circumstance, automation is more rapidly achieved for Even in the midst of pandemic-driven unemployment, skilled
both high-mix and customization-driven manufacturers. Further- labor positions remain unfilled. Demographic changes mean that
more, by reducing the role of a paint gun operator to software more experienced workers will be leaving the workforce than
operator, material loader and quality inspector, much of the most ever before, while their experience will hardly be replaced in
sufficient time to not pose additional training,
extensive rework and broad retention costs on
industry as a whole, much less finishing depart-
ments in particular.
At the same time, mass customization trends
may be showing that purely manual robotic
programming can’t sustain even the largest
manufacturers. Products need to be more differ-
entiated than ever in order to sell. Customization
is a part of that, but achieving customization with
limited added costs is what consumers and busi-
ness clients will truly respond to. Autonomous
robots provide a gateway to achieving this. n

Robert Ravensbergen is the Marketing Director at
Omnirobotic, the only provider of AI and 3D
vision-based autonomous robotics technology for
high-mix industrial spray, coating and finishing
processes. Learn more at www.omnirobotic.com .
More common to the aerospace industry, this type of batch booth layout allows aerospace
coaters to specify every aspect of a process no matter the series of small or tedious parts
required. At the same time, the operator is removed from a hazardous environment and
able to manage a machine that generates maximal consistency.

30 CANADIAN FINISHING & COATINGS MANUFACTURING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021