Battelle Robot Fixes Airplane Windows

Columbus, OH - Battelle has developed a robotic system to repair airplane windows. This system is a marriage of the Automated Maintenance Robot (AMR), an existing Battelle technology, and a proven manual method of transparency restoration. The system not only removes bugs and chips, but refurbishes parts that can be reused, saving time and money while improving precision and consistency. When it's proven that the system is successful, it will be available for military and civilian use.

"This achievement can save the aviation industry millions and millions of dollars," says Steve Kelly, president of Battelle's National Security Division. "Integrating two existing technologies into a novel approach is a hallmark of Battelle's strategy for solving really difficult problems."

Many airplane windows and other lenses aren't made from glass because it isn't strong or resilient enough for aviation uses. Instead, acrylic is used for windows, fixtures and cockpit canopies and is manufactured to exacting specific sizes and contours. However, crazing happens within three to seven years, causing weathering and microfracturing that dulls the clear surfaces into a milky, opaque mess.

Years ago, Ray Fontana, founder of RCF Inc., figured out a way to fix these parts, polishing them back to their original clarity. His process requires technicians to buff out the scratches and crazing by hand. Now, with Battelle software and specialized parts integrated with a Fanuc robotic arm, the process will be automated. Battelle worked with Fontana to prove the robot can refurbish the cockpit canopy of the T-45A Goshawk, a tandem-seat jet trainer for Navy and Marine Corps pilots.

With deliveries underway, Battelle's system replaces two technicians who require up to 10 days to polish the canopy by hand, allowing them to work on other projects. The robotic system works much faster and with consistent sanding pressure that ensures proper thickness of the material, thus making approval for flight usage easier to obtain.

For more information, visit www.battelle.org. To watch a video of the technology in action, click here.