A robot developed by San Sebastián-based research centre Fatronik-Tecnalia for aerospace concern Airbus has been selected from more than 100 firms from all over the world as a finalist in the Innovation category of the international Strategic Manufacturing Awards 2008.

Sources at Fatronik-Tecnalia said the award winners would be announced during the fourth European Manufacturing Strategies summit, to be held in Dusseldorf in Germany from 6 to 9 October

Fatronik's robot, called Roptalmu, is "light and portable" and has been designed to "drill holes in major aerospace components" like aircraft wing beams, during the assembly phase.

Roptalmu is to compete in the Microsoft-sponsored Innovation category with creations from major names like SAP, Bombardier, HP, Rockwell and Procter & Gamble.

The competition jury chose Roptalmu as a finalist because it made "a substantial improvement" to productivity by reducing time and costs, as well as improving work and safety conditions for aerospace employees.

Management at Fatronik-Tecnalia stressed that the "main innovation" was based on the robot's mobility, as it means that the "aircraft component to be worked on can remain in place, with the robot fully equipped with tools sliding along the part."