Automation and robotisation in defence and aerospace

Prosty rysunek przedstawiający oko z nałożoną na nie okrągłą tarczą i czterema nawiasami w rogach, nawiązujący do koncepcji widzenia, ostrości lub skanowania biometrycznego — przywodzący na myśl precyzję charakterystyczną dla czasopisma „Konstrukcje Mechaniczne”. Linie są pomarańczowe i szare na jasnym tle.

The defence and aerospace industries operate under zero tolerance for error — every component must pass strict quality control, full traceability is a contract requirement, and production schedules are non-negotiable.

At MDP Engineering we design and implement turnkey automated test stations, precision assembly lines and quality-control systems for manufacturers of military and space components. Our systems provide full process documentation — from assembly operation to final unit test result — under ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100. Virtual Commissioning lets us deliver stations with tested PLC logic before they enter the validation phase.

W ogrodzonej strefie roboczej działa duże przemysłowe ramię robota, które zapewnia automatyzację produkcji wśród paneli sterowania, kabli i maszyn w środowisku fabrycznym. W całym obszarze widać jasne oświetlenie i uporządkowany sprzęt.
Zbliżenie na maszyny przemysłowe w fabryce, na którym widać pomarańczowe i czarne elementy, kable oraz części metalowe — podkreślające rolę automatyzacji produkcji — a w tle widoczne są urządzenia i ogrodzenia zabezpieczające.

Production challenges in defence and aerospace

Production for defence and aerospace is a class of requirements that does not exist in any other industrial sector:

Zero tolerance for production errors:

A component that fails in the field or in space is a life hazard and irreversible contractual consequence. Every unit needs proof of correct manufacture and test.

Full traceability and auditability:

Every component must have an unbroken history: material, operator, tool, process parameters, test result. Non-negotiable in government and military contracts.

Strict environmental tests:

Components must work under vibration, extreme temperatures and electromagnetic interference (EMC/EMI). Test stations must reproduce those conditions and document them.

Long validation and process-qualification cycles:

Every new production process goes through IQ/OQ/PQ aligned with AS9100 or the customer’s requirements. An error found after validation means a restart — months and cost.

Special materials and precision:

Titanium alloys, composites, precision optics and high-reliability electronics need specialist knowledge and a controlled production environment.

Our engineering solutions:
why MDP Engineering for Defense & Aerospace?

01

Test and inspection stations for military components

The key element of every defence production line is the test station — it must not only find a defect but prove that the unit meets specification and record that irrevocably in the traceability system.

How it helps:

We design test stations matched to the component specification — electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, optical — with automatic result logging linked to the serial number.

What we can do:

Functional test of electronic and electromechanical assemblies. Leak testing for hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Vibration and thermal tests with a controlled profile. DataMatrix and barcode scanners for automatic unit ID. Siemens TIA Portal and Beckhoff TwinCAT with Safety modules.

02

Robotic precision assembly with full traceability

Where tolerances are tens of micrometres and every assembly operation must be documented, manual assembly is too slow and too risky for repeatability and auditability.

How it helps:

Fanuc and KUKA robots deliver repeatable assembly with force and precision unattainable by a human at thousands of units. Every operation is logged — torque, vision result, operator ID, timestamp.

What we can do:

Assembly of electromechanical and optical subassemblies. Force and torque control with per-unit logging. Vision for assembly completeness (OK/NOK). Integration with MES or a dedicated traceability database.

03

Vision and measurement inspection systems

100% inspection of units is a defence requirement — statistical quality control is not enough when every component must be validated individually.

How it helps:

Vision systems on the line inspect every unit in cycle time — without slowing the process and without tired inspectors.

What we can do:

Geometric inspection (dimensions, presence, orientation) with 2D and 3D cameras. Marking, DataMatrix and serial-number checks. Surface inspection for defects and discontinuities. Inspection images stored per unit as quality evidence.

04

Virtual Commissioning: digital validation before IQ/OQ

In defence, a change to a validated production process means requalification. The station design must be fault-free before IQ/OQ — every error found during validation restarts the procedure for months.

How it works:

We build a complete Digital Twin of the designed test or assembly station in Siemens Process Simulate or RoboDK. TIA Portal or TwinCAT code and motion sequences are tested on the virtual model before any mechanical part is ordered.

What we verify digitally:

Test-sequence logic versus the technical specification, safety and E-Stop, traceability and MES interfaces, emergency scenarios (power, sensor failure).

Benefit

The station enters IQ/OQ with documented virtual commissioning confirming logic versus specification. Qualification time shortens and audit deviations drop. SAT typically 40–60% shorter.

Example scope: component test station for a defence manufacturer

A typical MDP Engineering defence project includes:

  • Test-specification analysis and the customer’s traceability requirements — test parameters and acceptance criteria

  • Mechanical and electrical station design (SolidWorks, EPLAN P8) including service access and ESD

  • Selection and integration of measurement systems — force, torque, leak, electrical parameters — with result logging

  • Virtual Commissioning — PLC logic and test sequences on the digital model before the physical station exists

  • Build and FAT against the technical specification — all production and emergency scenarios

  • IQ/OQ validation documentation ready for audit: station description, test specification, executed-test protocols

We also offer service and modernization of existing machines.

Turnkey process: from specification to station validation

  • Requirements analysis and concept:
    Component specification, test requirements and customer traceability standards. Measurement technology and control platform.

  • 3D CAD and EPLAN:
    Mechanical documentation of the station and control cabinet — ready for build and validation.

  • Virtual Commissioning:
    PLC logic, test sequences and traceability interfaces on the digital model — before physical build.

  • Budowa i FAT:
    Montaż mechaniczny, integracja systemów pomiarowych, testy funkcjonalne wszystkich scenariuszy — w tym awaryjnych.

  • Service and technical support:
    Optional service and access to technical documentation for audits.

  • SAT and qualification:
    Installation at the client, IQ/OQ, training of operators and maintenance.

Discuss your defence or space project
with an MDP Engineering engineer

Defence and aerospace automation needs a partner who understands traceability, knows validation processes and will deliver a station with audit-ready documentation.