Kane Robotics has launched a collaborative robot (cobot) system for sanding, grinding and finishing in aerospace manufacturing. The GRIT cobot can improve productivity, reduce health risks and help resolve labor shortages for aerospace maintenance, rapid and overhaul companies.

GRIT cobots are able to work alongside humans to perform labor-intensive sanding, grinding and polishing for material removal within any size and type of manufacturer. The systems are reconfigurable for different tasks, and have three available sizes, giving them the flexibility to work in a variety of jobs.

“Aerospace and defense manufacturers require extremely precise sanding, grinding, polishing and finishing work to ensure parts meet regulatory requirements and achieve top performance,” Kane Robotics COO Alan Hiken, a composites expert with a 30-year career in aerospace engineering, said. “GRIT cobot solutions provide the highest-quality work and help save teams from injuries and illness by filling repetitive, labor-intensive jobs.”

The average GRIT system requires an investment of around $100,000, according to the company, and customers report a 100% return on investment after six months.

GRIT is able to help aerospace companies complete jobs like sanding primer from interior aircraft components, polishing fighter jet canopies after thermoforming to remove orange peel and achieve optical clarity, and removing coating and sanding surfaces for paint preparation or repairs on helicopter main robot blades.

According to Kane Robotics, this second-generation system can turn a 12-hour standing job into just a 3-and-a-half-hour job. GRIT was designed for ease of use and requires no specialized expertise to install, program or operate.

Kane Robotics was founded in 2019 with the mission to provide automation to manufacturers in aerospace and defense.