A Hole Lot More: Increasing Production Capacity by 200%.

Automating aerospace drilling and cutting to improve throughput, precision, and safety.

Meggitt Polymers & Composites needed to significantly increase production. The existing drilling and cutting process was labor-intensive, creating challenges with accuracy, throughput, and safety. Concept Systems designed and integrated a fully automated robotic drilling system using a FANUC M-710 series robot, custom tooling, and flexible part fixtures to meet growing aerospace production demands.

The Problem: Doing Things by Hand

Meggitt had an opportunity to expand production for an existing customer. However, the labor-intensive manual process could not support the required volume. Production needed to increase from approximately 1,000 to 3,000 parts per year. The new process also needed to improve drilling accuracy, product quality, and worker safety.

“A lot of these operations were being done by hand, and we were missing holes,” James Robertson, Meggitt’s vice president of operations, said in a recent news article featuring the project. “This enabled us to simplify the process and improve our quality.”

The Solution: Automated Robotic Drilling System

Concept Systems worked with Meggitt to define the production requirements and project goals. Throughput, accuracy, safety, flexibility, and ROI were identified as key objectives. 

The system features a FANUC M-710 robot with an integrated tool changer. Automated tool changes allow the system to produce the required hole shapes and sizes across eight different parts. Concept also designed custom end-of-arm tooling with 14 interchangeable drilling and cutting options. Flexible fixture racks accommodate multiple part configurations.

A safety risk assessment helped guide the workcell design. Safety interlocks, guarding, light curtains, area scanning, and other safeguards were incorporated to protect operators while supporting efficient production.

The Results

The automated robotic drilling system delivered the increased capacity needed to support the manufacturer’s growing aerospace production requirements while improving precision, repeatability, and safety.

• Increased production capacity by 200%, from approximately 1,000 to 3,000 parts per year
• Improved precision and repeatability in drilling and cutting operations
• Reduced rework and product loss through consistent robotic processing
• Expanded production flexibility across multiple parts and configurations
• Improved worker safety through guarding, interlocks, and area scanning

Project Details