Electric Tugs Supporting Automated Assembly Lines

The Aerospace sector has always been at the forefront of technological changes, including the introduction of automated assembly lines.

This coupled with the use of electric tuggers from Tractive Power is enhancing manufacturing automation and streamlining working techniques.

How Electric Tugs are Changing the Aerospace Industry

We have worked with a number of well-known aerospace manufacturers, who have invested in robotics for the assembly of different parts of aircraft. The main reason for this change in the sector has been to improve the production facility’s flexibility.

Whilst these robots are extremely heavy and awkward to move, the use of battery-powered tugs helps to speed up operations and the delivery time of projects. We understand that any backlogs will cost manufacturers money.

Robots for these automated assembly lines can weigh up to 20,000kg making them difficult to manoeuvre. In the past, this would have been done by hand. Moving them to a precise spot just would have been possible.

Instead, manufacturers are now investing in bespoke electric tugs to house the robots that can be moved easily with no disruption to the assembly line.

Automated Aircraft Wings

One part of the production that has been automated for a number of years now is the manufacturing of aircraft wing components.

Previously wing covers (the skin that sits on top of the wings’ inner structure) was laid up by hand. This is now done using automated fibre placement to build the wing covers. Like the majority of large composite parts, the wing cover is made up of a number of layers of tapes. Carbon fibres are arranged side by side and impregnated with resin.

Electric Tugs Lead Aerospace Innovation

If you are looking invest in electric tuggers, get in touch with Tractive Power today.

We offer innovative manual handling solutions for a number of sectors across four continents thanks to our extensive distribution network.