The aircraft washing system SKYWASH

Abstract

After a long development phase the 'SKYWASH' system achieved a breakthrough in 1994 with the order of two new SW 33 machines for Lufthansa. The system consists of a mobile truck, an outrigger system, a large reach manipulator with 11 programmable axes, a positioning system, a robot control and peripheral components like the brush system. All washing programmes are generated offline. The paper gives a brief overview why and how SKYWASH was developed and put into practical use.