Pratt & Whitney’s Middletown, Connecticut plant began using its BARB robot to assemble bearings for the 1100G geared turbofan engine on July 1. The robot completed bearing sub‑assemblies for #2, #5 and #6 bearings on a commercial GTF engine that powers Airbus and Embraer aircraft. The company invested $20 million in the robot, which represents its first step toward broader automation on the civilian and military production lines. BARB, an upright factory robot with long yellow arms, arrived in late 2024 and became operational after extensive testing that ensured reliable part identification and repeatable cycle completion. Ted Sluis, vice president and manager of Product Delivery Centers, said the robot reduced touch time by about 80 % and achieved a 100 % yield on the bearing sub‑assembly. He noted that early trials with scrap parts revealed vision system issues when processing shiny production parts, requiring a learning period that extended into early 2025. Pratt & Whitney is also developing an AI‑assisted borescope inspection tool for its V2500 and F135 engines, which it says will improve inspection speed and consistency. The company plans to deploy a larger robotic system six times the size of BARB at the central diffuser module of the 1100G, with the goal of expanding automation to more complex engine components. Military customers have expressed strong interest in similar automation, and the long‑term vision is to equip every engine assembly line with robotics capable of handling the varied assembly requirements, including the vertical pit assembly used for the F135.