Aerospace manufacturing illustrates why organizations are increasingly considering AI and IoT together.
IoT can supply data from the physical world (asset identity, location, movement, event) and AI can help analyze that data by correlating it with other operational information (identify patterns, enhance vision and machine learning, aid decision-making).
For aerospace and defense manufacturers, the synergy can solve a practical problem-how to understand complex physical operations in real time.
- The Complexly of Aerospace Production Aerospace production facilities may include:
Aircraft sections
Specialized tooling
Fixtures
Material
Equipment
Electronic assemblies
Materials
Logistics objects
Personnel
Production pieces
Work-in-progress
Finished or partially finished parts and products
These can move between fabrication, assembly, inspection, testing, storage, staging, and logistics areas, potentially changing a location data point into little more than a label.
A traditional information system may provide a list of what exists, but provide an operational context that leaves much to be desired.
This is where IoT signals can help.
- Where IoT Fits in This picture
IoT does not produce operational intelligence by itself. IoT provides signals, and AI can interpret those signals in the context of operational need.
Team members and operators often need to know:
Where is the part or product
Are the needed tools or fixtures available
What stage is the product in
Where does the part or product go next
Is material not where it should be
What is being used at a station or work cell
What is currently in production
AI can fill in the gaps to make those signals more useful rather than simply displaying location data.
- Aircraft Manufacturing
Aircraft manufacturing involves several stages of production, and movements of teams, parts, equipment, and tooling between stages.
AIoT can support:
Aircraft sections
Structural assemblies
Fixture location
Fixtures availability
Tooling location
Production material
Logistics assets
Personnel location
Work-in-progress status
Combined, this information helps the production team understand where the assembly is within the manufacturing process, and what resources and assembly location are next.
- Defense Manufacturing
Defense manufacturing environments may feature interconnected manufacturing, engineering, logistics, testing, and secure storage environments with limited personnel access.
Asset and supply chain visibility can be especially important when fixtures, test tools, tooling, containers, and components are stored or used in different location.
IoT-based tracking can also support workforce location and restricted access requirements.
Traceability benefits can also be gained by providing a complete listing of location, test, manufacturing, inspection, and movement data for serialized parts.
- Spacecraft and Satellite Operations
Satellite, spacecraft, and deployment hardware have a different set of physical requirements.
Spacecraft integration hardware, payload hardware, satellites, parts, fixtures, testing units, and other materials may be moved through many stages before deployment.
Through AIoT, the organization may gain location information about assemblies, fixtures, test hardware, and other objects across receiving, storage, integration, testing, validation, and shipping sites.
Operational history for mission critical hardware can be enhanced by tying movements through all stages of production back to the assembly events.
- Avionics and Electronic Assembly
Electronic and avionics manufacturers may have thousands of components and electronic assemblies, fixtures, test equipment, racks, carts, tools, and raw material in their facilities.
Assembly materials of similar appearance make identifying the right part of a challenge, and could be costly if the parts are assembly- or mission-critical.
Automated assembly identification can also improve asset tracking and operational history by connecting the assembly to production, test, rework, and quality assurance status.
- The Purpose of a New IP Architecture An easy way to think about industrial AIoT for aerospace is: The IoT identifies and connects the physical
The AI interprets operational data
And the operations use this context for their decisions
The goal is not to track everything simply because you can. The goal is to answer operational questions:
Where is the needed asset
What is the current stage of a particular assembly
Where is the part or product going next
What is available
What happened to this part or product
Which location needs controlled access
The Aperture Venture Studio offers an overview of artificial intelligence and IoT applications in aerospace and defense, including aviation manufacturing, defense manufacturing, spacecraft, satellites, avionics, UAS, and precision engineering.
The bigger takeaway is that aerospace, in addition to simply connecting digital objects, can also incorporate the surrounding physical environment into the operational picture. That opens up a broader range of artificial intelligence and internet of things uses. for more info visit: apertureventurestudio.com
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