Floating Assembly Transporter
November 1, 2013
Airfloat's latest application of its air-bearing technology is the automated pneumatic guided vehicle (APGV) aircraft assembly transporter. The bus-size machine utilizes compressed air to literally float 12,000-lb aircraft fuselages from assembly station to assembly station.
"Since the days of Henry Ford, manufacturers have understood the advantages of moving assembly lines," said Jason Stoecker, President of Airfloat. "Air-bearing (or air-caster) technology enables aircraft manufacturers to automate their assembly process in ways previously undreamt of."
The Airfloat APGV is a fabricated steel structure built of structural tube and laser-cut steel plates. Pneumatic lifts raise the transporter off its wheels and onto four 20" air-bearing skids. Two hundred SCFM of air is forced through the air bearings at about 80 PSI, lifting both the transporter and its load a few millimeters off the ground.
A pair of built-in line-following robots automatically move the transporter between workstations. Alternatively, it can be wirelessly steered by an operator via an RF controller. Deployable wheels allow the Airfloat assembly transporter to be towed, while loaded, on rough surfaces or outdoors. The transporter can accommodate multiple aircraft models of varying lengths and weights using contour boards and V-blocks to support and locate the aircraft.
"The Airfloat APGV is built to provide years of trouble-free operation with minimal required maintenance," said a company spokesperson. "An air line lubricator in each robotic drive unit supplies the proper amount of oil to the drive and steering motors for long life. And the rugged, roll edge-sealed air bearings are tray-mounted, allowing them to be easily removed for cleaning or replacement - without removing the load or lifting the transporter."
Specifications include:
- Size: 128" W x 467" L x 33-3/8" H
- Weight: 8,500 lbs
- Capacity: 12,000 lbs
- Air Requirements: 80 PSI and 200 SCFM
- Elec. Requirements: 120 VAC, 20 amp, 60 Hz
- Drive Speed: 0 - 20 ft/min.
For more information contact:
Airfloat
2230 Brush College Road
Decatur, IL 62526
800-888-0018
sales@airfloat.com
www.airfloat.com
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