AIRCRAFT OF ALL TYPES NEED TO HAVE PAINT ROUTINELY REMOVED FROM THEIR OUTER SURFACES. ANY METHOD NEEDS TO BE CONTROLLED TO REMOVE ALL THE PAINT AND NOT DAMAGE THE SURFACE OF THE AIRCRAFT. HUMAN OPERATORS GET BORED WITH THE MONOTONOUS TASK OF STRIPPING PAINT FROM AN AIRCRAFT AND THUS DO NOT CONTROL THE PROCESS VERY WELL. THIS TYPE OF TEDIOUS OPERATION LENDS ITSELF TO ROBOTICS. A ROBOT THAT STRIPS PAINT FROM AIRCRAFT NEEDS TO HAVE FEEDBACK AS TO THE STATE OF THE STRIPPING PROCESS, ITS LOCATION IN RESPECT TO THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF STRIPPING MATERIAL. THIS PAPER DESCRIBES THE SENSORS USED ON THE PAINT STRIPPING ROBOT BEING DEVELOPED FOR THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE'S MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO THE PAINT SENSOR WHICH IS THE FEEDBACK ELEMENT FOR DETERMINING THE STATE OF THE STRIPPING PROCESS.
| Number of Pages : | 10 |
| Published : | 06/01/1990 |
