Storage/Retrieval of Lay-Up Tools for the Aerospace Industry

 
Ward Systems engineered and manufactured this large scale vertical automated storage/retrieval (AS/RS) and lay-up system for a customer in the aerospace industry. The storage part of this system measures 24' wide, 80' long, and is 19' high. It incorporates 6 bays of 12 storage spots with 6 elevators.
The Lay-up part of the system incorporates 300' of track, 11 individual workstations, 10 vehicles, and is operated via user-friendly touchscreen consoles.
The system is used to transport mandrels into the climate-controlled bond room for lay-up of the composite leading edge slats for aircraft. The AS/RS system features a 7-level storage unit housing 72 mandrels, each up to 20' feet long and weighing as much as 3,200 lbs. Energy-efficient Power Pallet vehicles, which feature pivot wheels that enable them to move in 4 directions, are radio dispatched to retrieve the aluminum forms and move them to the specified workstation. After lay-up, a 6' x 22' open floor vehicle moves the 15,000 lb. molds to the curing machine.
This complex system was the result of one year's worth of thoughtful engineering, meticulous planning, precision fabrication, and careful installation. It has enabled the customer to achieve their desired production goals in a timely and cost-effective manner, and should serve them well for years to come. For more information about this project, or how our expertise for executing large scale, complex automation systems can benefit your operation, contact us today.
Highlights of Design and Manufacture of AS/RS and Lay-up System

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