KUKA lightweight robots used in automated workstation for satellite production

In the internal exhibition, a workstation will be automated using the KMR iiwa.
Photo by KUKA Robotics Corp.

Thales Alenia Space builds satellites and develops components for civilian and military space technology. Shorter assembly times and effective use of labor: these are the goals of the “Tomorrow’s Factory” project by Thales Alenia Space, which begin in the second half of the year.

In cooperation with KUKA, the University of ENSAM and the integrator AKEO+, the Cannes, France-based company is working on an automated workstation employing two KUKA lightweight robots of the LBR iiwa type and a mobile platform. The robots and the autonomous platform are working in a clean room environment.

In this project, two robots will assemble components from different storage containers as part of a kitting application into a kit in preparation for the next step. The KMR (KUKA Mobile Robotics) iiwa is bringing the kit to the workstation to be mounted on the satellite. The company also plans to use a KMP omniMove transport platform to easily transport the delicate satellites from one station to another within the production room.

During the internal exhibition at Thales Alenia Space and thanks to the help of the University of ENSAM, a comparable smaller KUKA mobile platform was shown with the KUKA collaborating robot LBR iiwa. The platform’s autonomous navigation system allows the robot to reach each storage container easily.

For more information, please visit http://www.kukarobotics.com.

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