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Show Page 10 IFO n HILL TOP TIMES D D s Friday, February 11, 1983 !' tree) o) By Lucinda Schuft Public Affairs Office Taffe paints missiles. Her long metal arm gracefully applies layers of paint with smooth even strokes. Her work is perfect. Paint patterns on each missile are identical and she can work up to 24 hours without a break. Taffe is a robot in the Directorate of Maintenance (MA) here. She's being tested by the Air Force Logistics Command as a way to remove humans from hazardous working environments, increase productivity and bring about cost savings. Her current job takes her operator, Mike Hovey, a painter in the Missile and Aircraft Systems Division, MA, out of the paint and stripper fumes. Before Taffe came into his life, Mike applied two coats of paint stripper and four coats of paint on an AIM-- 9 missile by hand. Much of his day was spent in breathing masks. Taffe not only moved Mike out of a potentially hazardous environment but eliminated several of the painting steps as well. He said, "I don't have to wear a breathing hood. It makes my job easier." When approached on working with Taffe, Mike said he was afraid he was being replaced by a machine. "I was scared at first. I wanted to see what I was getting into and whether or not I'd be fired after I taught it my job." Taffe now sprays the paint stripper and paint on while Mike stays on the outside in a special room. He still does some of the detail work, like masking off areas before the missile is painted, but Taffe does the rest. Mike's job has also expanded to include Taffe's' training and maintenance. "It's created different jobs," Mike said. "I replace paint lines when they get clogged, etc." Special equipment has also been designed to increase Taffe's efficiency. Conveyors take the ; missiles into Taffe's work area and special index-er- s turn the missiles for the stripper and paint applications. Taffe is programmed to accomplish each job. She learns how to do it by being guided through the process by Mike. Her computer memory records the steps, which she repeats identically each time she goes through the same operation. Dick Stephens, a certified robotics technician in MA, said Taffe, manufactured by DeVilBiss of Toledo, Ohio, is capable of learning 63 different programs. That means she can learn to paint 63 different shaped items, with a total capacity of more than 3,000 units annually. Col. Sam P. Morgan, MA director, feels that robots will help get people out of undesirable areas IMurps o 'Q)(60 'X' mm "H m 11 "ipiyi ilillll VV illlill J :::::::-::::- : . & IK Paint spray nozzles pictured above are held in Taffe's robotic hand and apply paint or stripper to AIM-missiles in for maintenance. Taffe, a robot 9 W in the Directorate of Maintenance, was installed late last year to help remove workers from potentially hazardous environments. ' l where there's excessive noise or other unpleasant environments. He indicated that significant productivity increases are anticipated from additional applications. Taffe was installed last year at a cost of $150,000. She has the capability of speeding up and accomplishing jobs faster than her human counterparts, plus is able to work 24 hours a day without a breaks Anticipated new applications will put her to work 16 hours a day, which means two shifts of humans to keep her busy. Taffe's future is just beginning. Colonel Morgan said, "She is another first in the Air Force Logistics Command which strives to find newer, better, and less expensive ways to increase productivity in the defense of this great nation." " - " t.x & - ' ' i- , 1 i - - i n m ' J " i U.S. Air Force Photos by Paul Smith Mike Hovey, Taffe's operator, does detail work on a missile. Before Taffe came into his life he had to do everything in this manner. is mm wm TV am w I f Taffe is guided through a program by Mike Hovey. Taffe learns how to accomplish a job in this way. She remembers her task, which is recorded on a computer' disc, and performs it identically each time. When Taffe is in the teaching mode Mike uses the handles on the lower side of her arm to direct the motion. Mike is dressed in his breathing hood which was essential for the painting process before Taffe took over. if 'ill J JkJm r- -- i This is Taffe, the robot, in her pointing area. |
