Robotic Trimming, Cutting and Sanding of Carbon Fiber Body Structures

Stamped steel body structures set a benchmark for construction and aesthetics that any alternative including carbon fiber body structures must meet. The challenge to carbon fiber body structure manufacturers is to achieve the traditional body structure standards while maintaining the most competitive possible per part manufacturing costs. Fortunately for these manufacturers there is a great deal of accumulated experience in composite manufacturing including the finishing and trimming processes that can be among the most challenging to automate. This paper will discuss some of the robotic technologies that have been adopted from other composite finishing and trimming processes to meet the needs of carbon fiber body structure manufacturers. Specific examples will be discussed including robotic sanding of Class A surfaces and abrasive waterjet cutting of holes and features on various carbon fiber body structures, both of which are or will soon be in full production. For abrasive waterjet cutting, this paper will elaborate on a unique approach that was developed using robots to manipulate parts while secondary robots manipulate the abrasive waterjet media. The paper will also discuss the advantages of these robotic solutions vs. other approaches including lower running costs and the flexibility to quickly adapt to product or model changes.