Story Line & Point Scoring
Automation through the use of robots has been a manufacturing hallmark of the automotive industry for more than two decades. How can these techniques be applied to the aircraft industry to accelerate the assembly process and make it more efficient? Traditional assembly methods have historically required thousands of manual operations by skilled mechanics.
The experts at BEST Robotics Incorporated (BRI) have proposed that robots be used to solve this problem. Experts within the aircraft industry who have relied upon traditional methods believe this idea is “Just Plane Crazy” and have declined to pursue it.
BRI has decided to form its own company, BEST Aircraft, which will focus upon the BEST way to assemble an aircraft using robots that integrate BRAIN (BEST Robotics Advanced Instruction Node) control. Its four Divisions (Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow) will design and build robots that compete against each other to derive the most efficient manufacturing process. Each Division will have its own subassembly Warehouse and Assembly Area. The Divisions will share a common Delivery Center where assembled aircraft are flight-tested.
Point Scoring
Robot Tasks
- Activate the tie-breaker/ Warehouse light switch
- Remove Foreign Object Debris (FOD) and place in the Waste Disposal Area
- Move aircraft subassemblies from the Warehouse to the Assembly Area
- Completely assemble aircraft subassemblies
- Place the completed aircraft in the Delivery Center
- Place the completed aircraft at one of the three Flight Levels
- Close the Warehouse doors when access is no longer needed
- Turn off the Warehouse lights by deactivating the tie-breaker switch
Assembled Aircraft Points
- In the Delivery Center (non-flight) – 800 points
- Flight Level 1 – 900 points
- Flight Level 2 – 1000 points
- Flight Level 3 – 1200 points
Subassembly Points
- Subassemblies not installed – 50 points each
- Subassemblies installed – 150 points each
- Completed aircraft in the assembly area – 600 points
Other Points
- FOD placed in correct location – 50 points each
- Warehouse doors completely closed – 50 points
- Warehouse lights off – 50 points
- Activation order of tie-breaker – 50, 40, 30, 20, 0 points
