thumbnail group  Connect With Us:  Manufacturing Engineering
Media eNewsletters  ME Channels / AeroDef Share this  Challenges
and Opportunities in Automated Airframe Drilling   Drilling
holes for fasteners for airframes accounts for 85% of the
quality issues and 80% of the lost time due to injuries in
airframe assembly. This is according to noted expert Dr. George
‘Nick’ Bullen, an SME Technical Fellow. He recently published a
book capturing his decades of knowledge in developing automated
airframe fastening and assembly. He offered more insights in
this exclusive interview with AeroDef.  Nick Bullen retired as
Principal Engineer and Technical Fellow from Northrop Grumman
Corporation at the end of 2010. He also founded the
International Aerospace Automation Consortium and is still
active in that organization. His credentials and expertise in
automated airframe assembly is solid-- he holds 16 patents for
technology innovations related to manufacturing, mechanization,
robotics, and robotics control software. Yo