CASE STUDIES
ELCAT
FLEXCELLE | MADE SMARTER | ELASTIC | ASTRAL | VADIS | WINGLIFT | AUTORAMP | SMARTER | CASE STUDIES
ENHANCED LOW-COST AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES
The ELCAT project set out to demonstrate how low-cost automation technologies can transform the flexibility, precision, and efficiency of aerospace manufacturing. Its aim was to enable the use of flexible manufacturing systems without relying on expensive, proprietary “black box” integrations, which is a major barrier for many manufacturers.
By combining industrial robotics, automation, reconfigurable tooling and digital twin technologies, ELCAT delivered a pioneering demonstrator capable of rapidly and automatically reconfiguring assembly tooling between different small box products with exceptional precision.
The project was launched in February 2020, funded through the UKRI BEIS Programmes and was concluded in late 2024.
Aerospace manufacturing faces ongoing challenges in adapting to rapidly shifting market demands, regulatory changes and material availability. Traditional production lines, optimised for high-volume output, often lack the flexibility to respond efficiently to such changes.
ELCAT directly addressed this issue by building upon outcomes from the earlier FA3D2 project, which created a national experimental testbed for digital and informatics-enabled aerospace manufacturing. Leveraging this foundation, ELCAT used the reconfigurable manufacturing environment and digital architecture to develop and validate a specific, scalable solution for small box assemblies.
Reduce lead times and increase efficiency through the integration of advanced manufacturing technologies.
Develop a physical solution: a reconfigurable tooling system capable of automatic, metrology-driven adjustment to meet aerospace assembly tolerances.
Create a virtual solution: a digital framework connecting field, station, and system levels to support virtual commissioning, monitoring, prediction, and optimisation.
ELCAT delivered two complementary demonstrators, one physical, one virtual, each addressing a key aspect of next-generation flexible manufacturing:
Physical demonstrator:
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A reconfigurable assembly system for small box components, achieving changeover times of under 10 minutes.
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Proven repeatability within 50 microns, supported by integrated metrology and industrial robotics.
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Demonstrated capability to adapt tooling and processes for multiple product types on a single line.
Virtual demonstrator:
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A common framework architecture enabling connected lifecycle management, cloud-based product data management, process design, and virtual testing.
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Support for digital twin functionality, linking design, control, and production data for improved decision-making.
When compared with GKN Aerospace’s current assembly systems, the ELCAT approach is estimated to deliver cost savings of over 45% across low-, medium-, and high-volume production scenarios.
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Aerospace manufacturing is traditionally defined by its reliance on highly skilled manual labour due to the need for tight tolerances and complex assemblies. ELCAT has shown that digital technologies, when integrated intelligently, can enhance both precision and flexibility, while reducing cost and risk. Adoption of the ELCAT solution offers aerospace manufacturers a number of tangible benefits:
Greater Resilience
Reconfigurable systems allow rapid adaptation to changing market or product requirements. By connecting operations through a common digital framework, manufacturers gain agility and responsiveness.
Increased Sustainability
ELCAT’s approach promotes reuse of existing assets and tooling, reducing environmental impact. Automation also improves worker safety and supports social sustainability.
Enhanced Efficiency
Automated reconfiguration and integrated data flows shorten production lead times and enable staff to focus on value-added activities.
Improved Quality
Precision-driven robotics and metrology integration ensure consistent assembly quality while minimising error and waste.
GKN and the University of Nottingham jointly developed the
vision for the ELCAT project by fusing real-world industrial
experience with game-changing theoretical proposals
backed by academic analysis. Now the Omnifactory will
allow this thinking to be taken to a point of physical reality,
maturing and de-risking the associated technology threads
to a level ready for development and adoption in GKN.
Andrew Portsmore, Technology Director, Assembly Systems, GKN Aerospace
