Assemblies and methods of making a shim

Abstract

Various embodiments disclosed relate to a shim pattern. The shim pattern includes a release film. The shim pattern further includes a curable composition disposed on the release film. There are various advantages to using the shim pattern disclosed herein. For example, according to various embodiments, the shim pattern can be used to easily produce a model of a gap between two components of an aircraft (e.g., an airplane, helicopter, drone, or spacecraft) that can be used to form a shim to close the gap.

Description

Background technique [0001] Determining the necessity, size and shape of gaskets for use in aircraft manufacturing often requires a laborious iterative process. Generally, parts are temporarily assembled, and then visually inspected and measured for clearances between aircraft components, such as skins and substructures. The parts can then be disassembled and test gaskets fabricated. The parts can then be reassembled with spacers temporarily held in place to check the fit. This is a second interim assembly operation and such operations may need to be repeated until the gasket fit is satisfactory. This process can be time-consuming and costly. Accordingly, there is a need for methods and associated equipment that simplify the gasket manufacturing process to reduce costly and time-consuming iterative steps affecting the production process. Contents of the invention [0002] Various embodiments disclosed herein relate to shim patterns. The gasket pattern includes a release...

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