Aerospace automation specialist Loop Technology has signed a deal with FANUC UK for seven new robots - including four units of the largest industrial robot ever to be ordered in the UK, the FANUC M-2000iA/1700L. Image courtesy Fanuc UK Renowned as the strongest long-reach robot in the world, three FANUC M-2000iA/1700L six-axis units will be delivered to the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) for its new innovation facility in South Yorkshire. This is part of Project Compass (Composites at Speed and Scale), a larger £80 investment which includes an aerospace manufacturing R&D project delivered by a consortium of partners including Boeing, Loop Technology, Spirit AeroSystems and the AMRC. The Loop/AMRC deal also encompasses two further FANUC M-2000iA robots: a 1200L and a 900L model. As part of a separate project, another 1700L model, along with an additional 900L unit, have been ordered by Loop Technology to form part of a high-rate composite preforming cell for a North American aerospace client. This brings the total number of FANUC M-2000iA six-axis robots commissioned by Loop Technology for this latest order to seven. Decarbonising the aerospace sector The aerospace manufacturing sector is booming, with 3,850 aircraft orders being placed in 2023 - a global record, according to ADS, the trade association for the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors. However, there is also currently a global aircraft backlog of 15,753, which is the largest on record. Increasing the level of automation in aerospace manufacturing is one of the main ways to increase productivity and help to reduce this backlog, while also tackling one of the sector's main challenges - decarbonisation. The new AMRC innovation facility in Sheffield has been developed to help solve composites manufacturing challenges in order to meet future demand for lighter commercial aircraft and help the aviation industry reach net zero. It aims to de-risk and develop high rate sustainable structures, with the potential to reduce large component process times from around 40 hours to approximately four hours. The facility is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
