Access e.V. Cuts Aerospace Inspection Documentation Time by a Third Using RoboDK

Access e.V., a German research institute specializing in materials and process development, has developed a robotic system for documenting fluorescent penetrant inspections (FPI). Developed within the publicly funded GATE and FAST projects, the system combines a Rainbow Robotics RB5-850 collaborative robot, automated image capture, AI-assisted image analysis and RoboDK. Access e.V. presented it as a technical demonstrator at the ILA Berlin Air Show 2026. According to the original source, the system aims to improve the speed, flexibility and ergonomics of aerospace quality inspection. Inside a compact darkened inspection cell, the robot grips complex investment-cast parts and moves them through a controlled sequence of orientations in front of a stationary camera, capturing high-resolution UV images. RoboDK serves as the central offline programming and simulation platform, importing component CAD data, automatically calculating handling trajectories and virtually validating collisions. Project Engineer David Geibel said remote programming and virtual validation avoid trial and error on the physical robot, automated image capture can save roughly one third of the time, and operators gain about four additional hours of effective working time per day. This information comes from the original source and was organized by AI.