Innovation in Aerospace: Zeeko Ltd’s Robotic Freeform Polishing System

Zeeko Ltd has developed an advanced robotic freeform polishing system tailored for aerospace applications.

At its core is a suite of shape-adaptive grinding (SAG) tools, featuring semi-elastic components designed for precise material removal.

The system effectively automates the polishing of freeform surfaces, especially when uniform material removal is required. A key application is the polishing of additively manufactured turbine blades.

Using a Fanuc robot arm, the system automates a sequence involving a Scantech 3D laser scanner and SAG tools.

Initially, stereoscopic cameras track errors in the toolpath, which are mitigated through calibration with Fanuc Roboguide and Zeeko’s VP-Zero hardware.

The robot then scans the blade to determine its exact shape and position before switching to the SAG tool for precise grinding and polishing.

This process ensures a polished, geometrically accurate finished blade.