Aerospace Manufacturer Achieves Flexible Aircraft Paint Hangar Collision Avoidance with OnGuard Software

Aircraft paint hangars require cranes and wingstand equipment to maneuver within extreme proximity to high-value airframes — any contact risks costly airframe damage and production delays on aircraft worth tens of millions of dollars. This manufacturer's existing collision avoidance approach enforced rigid aircraft parking positions, meaning any deviation required time-consuming reparking operations that directly impacted paint schedule throughput. Compounding the challenge, the hangar's explosive atmosphere imposed strict hazardous-area electrical requirements, ruling out standard industrial components and adding significant engineering constraints to the upgrade. The combination of collision risk, schedule pressure, and environmental classification demanded a purpose-built solution rather than an off-the-shelf retrofit.

Concept Systems Inc. deployed its proprietary OnGuard collision avoidance software, integrating computer vision and real-time 3D spatial modeling to define dynamic safety envelopes around each aircraft in the hangar. Theodolite surveying equipment established high-accuracy positional reference coordinates, feeding continuously updated data into a multi-PC architecture that calculates permissible movement corridors for both overhead cranes and wingstands. The software interfaces directly with Allen-Bradley ControlLogix PLCs, issuing speed-reduction and stop commands before any collision threshold is breached. Rockwell Automation's PowerFlex 70 and 700 AC drives and CENTERLINE Motor Control Centers form the motion control layer — components selected from the outset for compatibility with the hangar's Class I hazardous-area electrical classification, avoiding costly mid-project rework.

OnGuard enables crane operators to position equipment within 4 inches or less of aircraft surfaces without collision risk — tolerances that were previously unachievable without conservative manual standoffs. This precision directly increases painter accessibility across the full airframe without requiring intermediate equipment repositioning. Key outcomes include:

• Flexible parking configurations replace rigid fixed-position constraints, eliminating a primary source of schedule delays when aircraft positioning varies between work orders
• Consistent PLC programming and standardized device selection reduced maintenance complexity and simplified troubleshooting across the crane and wingstand fleet
• Operators gained confidence working at maximum proximity, improving paint coverage efficiency without sacrificing safety margins

• 3D spatial modeling combined with real-time PLC feedback can achieve collision envelopes tight enough for direct aerospace work — precision that manual standoff rules cannot match
• Flexible collision zone software outperforms fixed-position systems wherever aircraft positioning varies between jobs; the scheduling gains justify the added implementation complexity
• Hazardous-area electrical classification must be addressed in initial component selection — specifying certified drives and I/O from the start avoids expensive late-stage redesign
• A common device and programming standard across all moving equipment (cranes, wingstands) pays long-term dividends in maintenance simplicity and cross-trained technician coverage
• Theodolite-based reference surveying is the accuracy foundation the software depends on; investing in precise initial calibration directly determines system performance