SeMoSys

Today's approach to the (series) production of an aircraft provides for a strict demarcation in the manufacture of assemblies (fuselage structure, wings, tail unit, systems, cabin, engines, etc.). The individual product assemblies are then final assembled and equipped with systems in the end lines of the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer e.g. Airbus, Boeing). The suppliers of the assemblies are adapted to this structure in their development and manufacturing competencies. Efforts to strengthen competitiveness and thus reduce manufacturing and operating costs in the aerospace sector, increase performance and contribute to environmental protection are leading to increased requirements in terms of weight and cost reduction. One way in this direction is the future integration of the system installation into the manufacturing of the assemblies.
To enable high-rate, intelligent manufacturing with a high degree of automation in the future, digital networking of production and the virtual production environment is essential. Existing knowledge about components and process steps can be used to continuously compare virtual and real production. In this way, information about production progress and statements about quality can be generated, but also potential deviations and errors can be detected in good time. This data can in turn be used to plan alternative processes in the event of unforeseen changes or disruptions, so that the flexibility and efficiency of production can be increased. The basis for this is an automated and systematic recording of the current state of production, as well as the linking of real process data with background information. Furthermore, interactive visualizations and augmented reality applications can be used to visualize the system status, make the decision-making process transparent and involve the plant user in it. In this way, production makes use of the enormous potential of digitization.

To achieve the joint objectives, the first step in the Virtual Section Assembly subproject is to develop a sensor-based system for automated, decentralized recording of the system status. The focus here is on the components used in the production process. The information obtained will be linked with metadata from the production process in order to monitor production and detect faults and deviations. The result is an intelligent component whose condition can be tracked and documented throughout the entire production process. AI-based algorithms for process planning can suggest alternative solutions for carrying out process steps in the event of deviations, errors and malfunctions in the manufacturing process. The operator should be shown the current state of manufacturing, the simulation, as well as details for decision-making in an interactive visualization (augmented reality). Furthermore, the operator will be given interaction possibilities to intervene in the decision-making process and to influence the decision-making of the planning algorithms.

In summary, the following scientific-technical goals are pursued in the subproject Virtual Section Assembly
Conceptual design of a sensor system and implementation of an interface for data processing. Development of algorithms for the detection of used components and prediction of errors. Integration of algorithms for adaptive production planning and connection to real sensor data. Development of an augmented reality application to visualize the state of the system and virtual manufacturing.