Airbus measures up with DEA coordinate metrology

The Airbus factory in Broughton, North Wales, recently ordered a large gantrytype coordinate measuring machine from DEA. The machine will provide advanced dimensional inspection capabilities that will help keep pace with the production of wing spars for the current fleet of Airbus aircraft and components for the new A380, a 555 seater aircraft for the 21st Century.

The new DEA Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM), the DELTA AB, was especially conceived to inspect large aerospace tooling,
components and assemblies in an open shop environment without sacrificing accuracy. Its innovative, modular mechanical configuration, combines aspects from both gantry and bridge design features in a structure optimised to the specific application.

The DELTA AB currently has a longitudinal measuring stroke of 10.5 metres, a transverse measuring stroke of 3 metres, and a vertical stroke of 500mm. With an accuracy formula of 4 + 5L/1000 [micron], this machine is one of the most accurate and repeatable CMMs of its kind. To further increase its ability to inspect extremely long aircraft structural components, the team at Airbus is planning a future expansion of the machine’s inspection envelope by extending its longitudinal stroke to a remarkable size of 20 metres.

DELTA AB will be equipped with A.C.T.I.V. software (an advanced multi-sensor structural temperature . . . . . .