Mirror image production and assembly of aircraft wings

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to mirror image fabrication and assembly of aircraft wings. Systems and methods are provided for an assembly line (100) for processing aircraft wing panels (150). The method includes inputting a wing panel (150) into the assembly line (100) having a plurality of stations (120), the wing panel (150) oriented such that the leading edges (155) are all on a first side (166) of the stations (120) and the trailing edges (157) are all on a second side (165) of the stations (120), and advancing the wing panel (150) through the plurality of stations (120) in a processing direction (181), at least a first portion of the stations (120) dedicated to wing panel leading edge (155) processing and a second portion of the stations (120) dedicated to wing panel trailing edge (157) processing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aircraft, and more particularly to the manufacture and assembly of aircraft wings. Background Technology

[0002] The airframe defines the mechanical structure of an aircraft. The airframe consists of multiple components that provide desired structural characteristics. For example, a portion of the airframe for an aircraft wing may include skin panels, ribs, and wing spars mechanically joined together according to design parameters (e.g., by co-bonding, co-curing, or fasteners). In current practice, airframe components are fabricated and assembled in predetermined units in a factory workshop. For example, components may be laid in one unit, cured in another, and received for post-curing preparation in yet another unit, or otherwise fabricated in one unit, and then transported as a whole to a new unit for work.

[0003] While the manufacturing process discussed above is reliable, delays occur when work on specific parts of a component takes longer than expected. That is, the work density at the component is not at the desired level, and too much shop floor space is dedicated to each part of the assembly process. For example, if a specific section of a wing takes longer than expected to be fixed or laid, the entire wing assembly will remain within the unit until all the delayed work is completed. Alternatively, the assembly can be moved to the next unit, where the unfinished component receives work intended for the previous unit. This, in turn, requires supplying the next unit with misplaced parts, special tools, etc. Furthermore, a significant amount of time is spent cataloging the component's construction after it has been moved. This time is not value-added time. In addition, frequent moves between units add a significant amount of non-value-added time. That is, every move of a component between units (and therefore every unit used in the manufacturing process) requires set-up time, and this set-up time should be minimized for efficiency. Current designs utilize automated optical inspection techniques and / or probes to inspect the position of parts along their six degrees of freedom, but these are particularly time-consuming and costly.

[0004] Therefore, it is desirable to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the problems discussed above, as well as other possible problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments described herein provide enhanced systems and technologies that facilitate the fabrication and assembly of aircraft wings via assembly lines. According to these embodiments, large components, such as wing panels, are arranged in a mirror orientation and transported in a pulsed or continuous manner. During pauses between pulses or during continuous movement of the component, workstations located at the component perform work on it. This assembly technology offers technical advantages by integrating the transport process into the assembly process and by reducing the amount of work performed on the large component each time it is moved.

[0006] Other exemplary embodiments (e.g., methods and computer-readable media related to the foregoing embodiments) may be described below. The features, functions, and advantages already discussed may be implemented independently in various embodiments or may be combined in other embodiments, as can be seen in further details with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Some embodiments of this disclosure will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same elements or elements of the same type.

[0008] Figure 1 It is an illustration of an aircraft.

[0009] Figure 1A This is a diagram of an assembly line for multiple coaxial (in-line) wings in an exemplary embodiment.

[0010] Figure 1B The control components of the production system in the exemplary embodiment are shown in general.

[0011] Figure 1C A flowchart for fabricating composite parts in an exemplary embodiment is depicted.

[0012] Figures 2A to 2B This is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing an airfoil via an assembly line in an exemplary embodiment.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a side view of the upper wing panel receiving a workpiece at the assembly line in an exemplary embodiment.

[0014] Figure 4 This is an end view of the upper wing panel being transported along the assembly line in an exemplary embodiment.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the fully assembled wing in an exemplary embodiment.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a view of the rib in an exemplary embodiment.

[0017] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of an aircraft production and service method.

[0018] Figure 8 This is a block diagram of an aircraft in an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The accompanying drawings and the following description provide specific exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. It will therefore be understood that those skilled in the art will be able to design various arrangements, although not explicitly described or shown herein, that embody the principles of this disclosure and are included within its scope. Furthermore, any examples described herein are intended to aid in understanding the principles of this disclosure and should be construed as not being limited to these specifically referenced examples and conditions. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments or examples described below, but is limited by the claims.

[0020] The wings described herein may include metallic or composite parts. Composite parts (such as carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) parts) are initially laid out in multiple layers, which together are referred to as preforms. Individual fibers within each layer of the preform are aligned parallel to each other, but different layers exhibit different fiber orientations to increase the strength of the resulting composite part along different dimensions. The preform includes a viscous resin that is cured to harden the preform into a composite part (e.g., for use in aircraft). Carbon fibers impregnated with uncured thermosetting or thermoplastic resins are referred to as “prepregs.” Other types of carbon fibers include “dry fibers” that are not impregnated with thermosetting resins but may contain tackifiers or binders. Dry fibers are injected with resin before curing. For thermosetting resins, curing is a one-way process called curing, while for thermoplastic resins, the resin reaches a viscous form if reheated.

[0021] Turn now Figure 1 The illustration depicts an aircraft 10 that can implement an exemplary embodiment. The aircraft 10 includes wings 15 and 16 attached to a fuselage 38. The fuselage 38 includes a body 12 and a tail section 18. In this example, the aircraft 10 includes a first engine 13 attached to the wing 15 and a second engine 14 attached to the wing 16. The tail section 18 includes a horizontal stabilizer 20, a horizontal stabilizer 21, and a vertical stabilizer 22. In relation to the present disclosure, wings 15 and 16 are formed by wing panels 30, which include an upper wing panel 32 and a lower wing panel 34 joined together as further described herein.

[0022] Figure 1AThis is a diagram of an assembly line 100 for multiple wing panels 150, with the three wing panels shown labeled wing panels 151, 152, and 153, respectively. In an exemplary embodiment, the wing panels 150 are arranged sequentially on the assembly line 100. Each wing panel 150 includes a leading edge 155 and a trailing edge 157. As shown, the wing panels 150 are fed into the assembly line 100, with the leading edge 155 on a first side 166 of each station 120 and the trailing edge 157 on a second side 165 of each station 120.

[0023] Each station 120 performs one or more different tasks on the wing panel 150 and is therefore designated as stations 120-1 to 120-9. As an example of the assembly line 100 described herein, the stations collectively referred to as stations 120 may include: Non-destructive testing (NDI) station 120-1, rework station 120-2, sacrificial layer application station 120-3, proximity port finishing station 120-4, drilling / milling station 120-5, edge finishing station 120-6, cleaning / deburring station 120-7, edge NDI and sealing station 120-8, and painting and finishing station 120-9. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, a portion of one or more specific stations 120 (e.g., a first side 166) is configured with machining tools or other functions specifically for machining the leading edge 155, while a second side 165 of some stations 120 is configured with machining tools or other functions specifically for machining the trailing edge 157. When a portion of a station is configured with machining tools or other functions specifically for machining the leading edge 155, that portion of the station can be described as dedicated to machining the leading edge 155. When a portion of a station is configured with tools or other functions specifically for machining the trailing edge 157, that portion of the station can be described as dedicated to machining the trailing edge 157. In some exemplary examples, for a given station, the station has a first portion dedicated to machining the leading edge 155 and a second portion dedicated to machining the trailing edge 157. In some exemplary examples, the wing panel 150 is advanced through multiple stations 120 in the processing direction 181, at least a first portion of each station 120 being dedicated to processing the leading edge 155 of the wing panel, and a second portion of each station 120 being dedicated to processing the trailing edge 157 of the wing panel. In some exemplary examples, the first portion of the station is on a first side 166, while the second portion of the station is on a second side 165. In some exemplary examples, multiple stations 120 are distributed along a track 110 in the processing direction 181, each station 120 having a first side 166 and a second side 165, the portion of each station 120 on the first side 166 being dedicated to processing the leading edge 155 of the wing panel 150, and the portion of each station 120 on the second side 165 being dedicated to processing the trailing edge 157 of the wing panel 150. Other configurations of the assembly line 100 having multiple stations 120 are contemplated within the scope of this disclosure, therefore Figure 1A This should not be interpreted as a limitation. As used herein, the use of "multiple" in relation to "item" indicates one or more items. Therefore, multiple workstations 120 is one or more workstations.

[0024] Assembly line 100 exhibits advantages over known manufacturing systems because, for all the different configurations of wing panels 150, specific machining tools can be located on the same side of each station 120. This is important because the various specific wing panels 151, 152, and 153 are envisioned to represent different aircraft parts. For example, wing panels 152 and 153 can be interpreted as lower wing panels because they include the panel opening 179. Therefore, wing panel 151 can be interpreted as upper wing panel. Wing panels 151, 152, and 153 are also known to be configured as either left or right wing panels. Based on the order in which wing panels 150 move through assembly line 100, wing panel 153 is sometimes referred to herein as first wing panel 153. Similarly, wing panel 152 is sometimes referred to as second wing panel 152, and wing panel 151 is sometimes referred to as third wing panel 151. Wing panels 150 from different aircraft models are also envisioned to be able to be machined using assembly line 100.

[0025] Another advantage of this assembly line 100 is that feed line 182 can be located on the same side of station 120 for all wing panel constructions. Feed line 182 includes lines entering assembly line 100 and lines exiting assembly line 100. In the example shown, NDI station 120-1 outputs data via scan data feed line 182-1, rework station 120-2 receives NDI information at scan data feed line 182-2 and receives rework material via rework material feed line 182-3. Sacrificial laminate feed line 182-4 supplies composite material to sacrificial laminate application station 120-3. Proximity port trimming station 120-4 feeds trimmed material to trimmed port material feed line 182-5, while sealant feed line 182-6 and fastener feed line 182-7 supply material to drilling / milling station 120-5. Edge trimming station 120-6 outputs the trimmed material to trimmed material feed line 182-8. At edge NDI and sealing station 120-8, data is output to scan data feed line 182-9, while sealant feed line 182-10 provides sealant to edge NDI and sealing station 120-8. Finally, paint material feed line 182-11 provides paint material to paint and repair station 120-9. Similarly, different combinations and configurations of stations 120 and feed lines 182 are considered, therefore... Figure 1A The construction is considered only as an example.

[0026] Assembly line 100 includes a track 110 parallel to the processing direction 181. A shuttle 130 travels along the track 110 in a pulsed manner from station 120 to station 120 (e.g., station 120-1 to station 120-9) in the processing direction 181, or the shuttle 130 travels continuously. The track 110 includes one or more rails, rollers, or other elements that facilitate the movement of the shuttle 130 along the track 110 (e.g., rolling or sliding). The track 110 can be mounted on a base plate, suspended from above, etc., depending on the specific environment in which it is used. In the illustrated embodiment, each shuttle 130 includes a motor 132 that drives the shuttle 130 along the track 110. In other embodiments, the track 110 includes chain drives, motorized trolleys, powered rollers, or other power systems capable of synchronizing the movement of the shuttle 130 in the processing direction.

[0027] A positioning plate 140 associated with each shuttle 130 applies a profile 167 to the wing panel 150, which in one example constitutes a hardened (e.g., cured) composite part. The profile 167 is applied using a spring 160. The spring 160 is vacuum-attached to the wing panel 150 at a predetermined position and extends to a predetermined height to apply the profile 167 to the wing panel 150, as... Figures 3 to 4 As shown. For example, the upper wing panel may have a different profile than the lower wing panel. While applying profile 167, the spring clip 160 also bears the force transmitted through the wing panel 150. In this way, the positioning plate 140 suspends the wing panel 150 below it while applying profile 167 to the wing panel 150.

[0028] like Figure 1A Illustrated, each wing panel 150 includes a wingtip segment 150-1 and a wing root segment 150-3. The wingtip segment 150-1 comprises a continuous segment of the wing panel 150 including the portion closest to the wingtip, while the wing root segment 150-3 comprises a continuous segment of the wing panel closest to the wing root (e.g., near the intersection with the fuselage side). As depicted herein, the wingtip segment 150-1 and the wing root segment 150-3 are separated by one or more intermediate length segments 150-2, and each segment comprises approximately one-third of the width of the wing panel 150, although the amount of space occupied by different segments may vary. In a further embodiment, the wing root segment 150-3 and the wingtip segment 150-1 are not separated by any intermediate length segments 150-2. In some exemplary examples, the intermediate length segments 150-2 may be referred to as “intermediate span segments”.

[0029] Wing panels 150 are arranged in a transverse series at track 110, and shuttle 130 advances a series of wing panels 150 121 through assembly line 100. As described above, various workstations 120 (e.g., 120-1 to 120-9) perform work on the wing panels 150, and the wing panels 150 are held suspended below shuttle 130 via corresponding positioning plates 140. In this embodiment, each workstation 120 includes a processing tool (e.g., end effector 122) and / or a technician (not shown) moving relative to the wing panel 150 and performing tasks such as drilling, trimming, inspection, and / or installing components (e.g., approaching panel opening 179, sacrificial layer 179-1, rework material 179-2, or rib 600) on the wing panel 150. Figure 6 Work such as applying sealant, fasteners, painting, etc. is performed. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the wing panel 150 is arranged such that the leading edge 155 of the wing panel 150 is exposed to the first side 166 of the workstation 120 and the lower edge 157 of the wing panel 150 is exposed to the second side 165 of the workstation 120.

[0030] Wing panel 150 is a hardened (e.g., cured) composite part, and therefore assembly line 100 describes the post-hardening treatment technology for wing panel 150. Exemplary operations performed on wing panel 150 by station 120 include: automated non-destructive testing (NDI) via NDI station 120-1 (e.g., via ultrasonic or other means); preparation and execution of rework via rework station 120-2; application of one or more sacrificial layers via manual or automated techniques at sacrificial layer application station 120-3; and automated or manual trimming, drilling, milling, or cutting operations via approach port trimming station 120-4, drilling / milling station 120-5, trimming station 120-6, and cleaning / deburring station 120-7. Other types of work may include cleaning and / or deburring the composite part, performing NDI edge inspection and sealing at station 120-8, or performing paint repair and curing as needed at station 120-9.

[0031] A series of wing panels 150 are arranged in alternating orientations at track 110, such that a second wing panel 152 with its wingtip section 150-1 facing forward is adjacent to a third wing panel 151 and a first wing panel 153 with their wing root sections 150-3 both facing forward. That is, the second wing panel 152 is oriented so that the wingtip section 150-1 extends furthest in the processing direction 181, while the third wing panel 151 and the first wing panel 153 are oriented so that the wing root section 150-3 extends furthest in the processing direction 181. This alternating, mirror-like orientation of the wing panels 150 results in a common working area of ​​workstations 120 (graphically shown as common working area 150-4). That is, workstations 120-1 to 120-9 are capable of performing work simultaneously on pairs of adjacent wing root sections 150-3 in some of the workstations 120. In some exemplary examples, a first set of stations 120 is configured to process the wing root section 150-3 of the wing panel 150. When station 120 is configured to process the wing root section 150-3, station 120 is configured to perform wing root section 150-3 processing. The first set of stations 120 includes one or more stations. In some exemplary examples, the first set of stations 120 is configured to process the wing root section 150-3 of the wing panel 150, and the first set of stations 120 is also operable to process the wing root sections 150-3 of two wing panels 150 simultaneously when the wing root sections 150-3 are arranged adjacent to each other along track 110. In some exemplary examples, a second set of stations 120 is configured to process the wingtip section 150-1 of the wing panel 150. When station 120 is configured to process wingtip segment 150-1, station 120 is configured to perform wingtip segment 150-1 processing. A second set of stations 120 includes one or more stations. In some exemplary examples, a second portion of station 120 is operable to process the wingtip segment 150-1 of wing panel 150, and the second set of stations 120 is also operable to simultaneously process the wingtip segments 150-1 of two wing panels 150 when the wingtip segments 150-1 are positioned adjacent to each other along track 110. For example... Figure 1A As shown, stations 120-1 to 120-9 include a first group of stations, stations 120-3 and 120-4 are configured to perform machining on the wing root section 150-3, and a second group of stations 120-6 and 120-7 are configured to perform machining on the wingtip section 150-1. As the wing panel 150 travels through stations 120-1 to 120-9, the stations in the first group and the second group can be changed as the wing panel 150 moves in the machining direction 181.

[0032] After the wing panels 150 are fed into the assembly line 100 in a manner that makes the wing root sections 150-3 adjacent, operations are configured to perform at least one station 120 for machining the wing root sections 150-3. In some exemplary examples, the operation of at least one station 120 configured to perform machining of the wing root sections 150-3 includes simultaneously machining the wing root sections 150-3 of two adjacent wing panels 150. Later, those same stations 120-1 to 120-9 may later perform work on two adjacent wingtip sections 150-1. After the wing panels 150 are fed into the assembly line 100 in a manner that makes the wingtip sections 150-1 adjacent, operations are configured to perform at least one station 120 for machining the wingtip sections 150-1. In some exemplary examples, the operation of at least one station 120 configured to perform machining of the wingtip sections 150-1 includes simultaneously machining the wingtip sections 150-1 of two adjacent wing panels 150. In an environment where workstations 120-1 to 120-9 are configured to perform different types of operations on different sections of wing panel 150, workstations 120-1 to 120-9 are configured to apply their specific working parts to different sections of wing panel 150. In some exemplary examples, workstation 120 can be configured to perform different types of operations on different sections of wing panel 150 before changing operating modes to accommodate different work areas (e.g., across multiple wing root sections 150-3 of different wing panels 150). Figure 1A The entire common work area 150-4 (e.g., multiple wingtip sections 150-1 spanning different wing panels) performs similar types of work. When station 120 is configured to perform machining of wingtip sections 150-1, the station has an operating mode that accommodates the common work area 150-4 of multiple wingtip sections 150-1. When station 120 is configured to perform machining of wing root sections 150-3, the station has an operating mode that accommodates the common work area 150-4 of multiple wing root sections 150-3.

[0033] Multiple workstations 120-1 to 120-9 can span multiple workstations 120 along the length of the wing panel 150, operating on the same wing panel 150 during the same pause between pulses or during continuous advance of the wing panel 150. In an embodiment of continuous advance of the wing panel 150 121, workstations 120-1 to 120-9 follow, for example, the advance of a first wing panel 153 through a working range 123, and then perform a carrier return 125 to a starting point for receiving a second wing panel 152 when the first wing panel 153 leaves the working range 123. Alternatively, a carrier return can be performed to receive the next segment of the same wing panel 150 (e.g., wingtip segment 150-1, intermediate length segment 150-2, wing root segment 150-3). Figure 1AOnly the working range 123 and the carrier return 125 of station 120-8 are shown, but similarly, each of stations 120-1 to 120-7 and 120-9 also has a working range 123 and a carrier return 125.

[0034] This arrangement also results in a longer time window before changes in operation are made at station 120, providing a longer time window for delivering materials to or removing them from station 120 (e.g., rework station 120-2 for rework, or sacrificial sheet application station 120-3 for applying sacrificial sheets (e.g., CFRP or fiberglass sheets) and where layup can be performed), and also provides a longer time window for maintenance (e.g., cleaning, blade replacement, adjustment, etc.) to be performed at stations 120-1 through 120-9.

[0035] For example, rework station 120-2 performs rework on wingtip segment 150-1, but does not need to sequentially perform rework on the next wingtip segment 150-1. This gives rework station 120-2 a rest time equal to the transition time of the second wingtip segment 150-1. During the rest time, reworked materials such as new blades can be installed in edge finishing station 120-6, while it undergoes additional maintenance. Therefore, the technique described herein provides greater work density by increasing efficiency and throughput, while reducing the shop floor space associated with the workload at station 120.

[0036] Workstations 120 are distributed along track 110 in the processing direction 181 and perform work on wing panel 150. Multiple workstations 120 can operate simultaneously to perform work pulses on the same wing panel 150 during the same pause between pulses, and / or synchronize with each other to perform different tasks at different sections of the wing panel 150 (e.g., wingtip section 150-1, intermediate length section 150-2, wing root section 150-3, etc.). In this embodiment, workstations 120 include: a non-destructive testing (NDI) workstation 120-1, which inspects the wing panel 150 for out-of-tolerance conditions (e.g., internal voids, debris, etc.); a rework workstation 120-2, which performs rework to resolve out-of-tolerance conditions; and a sacrificial layer application workstation 120-3. Additional workstations include: a proximity port finishing workstation 120-4, which finishes the first wing panel 153 and the second wing panel 152 (…). Figure 1A The manufacturing allowance 168 in the middle (shown as the lower wing panel) is used to form the approximate panel opening 179; drilling / milling stations 120-5, with mounting ribs 600 and / or spars 640 (as shown) Figure 6(as shown); an additional station (not shown) dedicated to mounting ribs to wing panel 150 and located downstream of drilling / milling station 120-5; a spar mounting station (not shown) for mounting spars to wing panel 150 and located downstream of drilling / milling station 120-5. Additional stations include: edge finishing station 120-6, cleaning / deburring station 120-7, edge NDI and sealing station 120-8, and painting and repair station 120-9.

[0037] In one embodiment, the rib 600 and spar 640 installation process involves parallel rib 600 and spar 640 fabrication techniques that provide rib and spar segments from parallel feed line 182 to the rib and spar installation station in a timely manner. In an embodiment not shown, station 120 includes a panel joining station that attaches corresponding wing panels 150 (e.g., upper right wing panel and lower right wing panel) together to form a complete wing (not shown). In one embodiment, the panel joining station operates as a fully pulsed, standalone operation, for example, operating independently on the entire wing (e.g., wing 15 or wing 16) without advancing 121 until joining is complete. In a further embodiment, stations are included for installing access panels (not shown) and doors (not shown) into cut-out areas (e.g., access panel openings 179) of wing panel 150, or the installation of access panels and doors also occurs in drilling / milling stations 120-5. Workstations 120 are arranged along tracks 110 that transport wing panels 150 and can be separated by a distance smaller than the span of the wingtip section 150-1, the intermediate length section 150-2, or the wing root section 150-3. This arrangement allows multiple workstations 120 to perform work on a single wing panel 150 simultaneously or during the same pause between pulses. For example, edge trimming workstation 120-6, cleaning / deburring workstation 120-7, and edge NDI and sealing workstation 120-8 operate on the wingtip section 150-1, the intermediate length section 150-2, and the wing root section 150-3, respectively. In a further embodiment, the work performed at workstation 120 can be automated, manual, or manually assisted or manually performed.

[0038] As described above, feed lines 182-2 to 182-4, 182-6 and 182-7, 182-10 and 182-11 supply various required materials to stations 120-1 to 120-9. In this embodiment, the outgoing line (scan data feed line 182-1) receives scan data from station 120-1 where NDI is performed, while the outgoing line (scan data feed line 182-9) receives scan data from another station 120-8 where NDI is performed. Rework material feed line 182-3 supplies rework materials (e.g., resin and fiber reinforcement materials) to rework station 120-2 where rework is performed. Scan data feed line 182-2 supplies scan data to rework station 120-2. Sacrificial sheet feed line 182-4 supplies sacrificial sheets, such as fiberglass or CFRP sheets, to sacrificial sheet application station 120-3 for placement on wing panels 150, 151, 152, and 153. Outgoing line (trimmed port material feed line 182-5) removes trimmed manufacturing allowance 168 from near-port trimming station 120-4. Sealant feed line 182-6 and fastener feed line 182-7 supply sealant and fastener, respectively, to drilling / milling station 120-5 for drilling and / or milling. Additionally, outgoing line (trimmed material feed line 182-8) removes trimmed edge manufacturing allowance 171 material that has been cut by edge trimming station 120-6. Sealant feeder line 182-10 supplies sealant material to station 120-8, while paint material feeder line 182-11 supplies paint material to station 120-9 where painting is performed.

[0039] In one embodiment, the wing panels 150 pulse less than the distance of their span, which includes the wingtip segment 150-1 plus the intermediate length segment 150-2 plus the wing root segment 150-3, and multiple workstations 120-1 to 120-9 perform work on the wing panels 150 during pauses between pulses. This is referred to herein as “micro-pulsation” fabrication. In a further embodiment, the workstations are separated by a distance equal to or greater than the span of the wing panels 150, and one workstation performs work on the entire wing panel 150 at a time. This technique is referred to herein as “full-pulsation” fabrication. In an even further embodiment, the wing panels 150 travel continuously along track 110, and workstations 120 perform work on the wing panels 150 during continuous movement.

[0040] In one embodiment, the lower wing panel follows the upper wing panel. The lower wing panel does not receive the rib 600 or the spars 640 (i.e., because these components have already been mounted to the upper wing panel). Most of the work is performed on the wing panel 150, which serves as the lower wing panel, because the access panel opening 179 is typically located on the lower wing panel, while most of the work on the wing panel 150, which serves as the upper wing panel, involves mounting the rib 600 and the spars 640. In a further embodiment, fastener sealing stations (e.g., drilling / milling stations 120-5) are used to seal fasteners mounted on the wing panel 150, and various stations 120 are also used to install electrical components (not shown), electrical equipment (not shown), and / or fuel tank-related systems (not shown). In a further embodiment, the wing panel 150 is a component for different aircraft models, including a left (upper and lower) wing panel and a right (upper and lower) wing panel.

[0041] Each shuttle 130 is indexed to an indexing unit 112, which has a hard stop 112-1 disposed at a known offset of each station 120. In some embodiments, indexing is performed physically, such as via complementary groove-and-slot geometry, cup-and-cone geometry (not shown), hard stop 112-1, etc. In further embodiments, indexing is performed via visual means, radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, or some combination thereof. In this manner, the indexing unit 112 is arranged along track 110 for the purpose of indexing the wing panel 150 to station 120.

[0042] In a further embodiment, each indexing unit 112 in assembly line 100 is designed to be physically coupled, imaged, or otherwise interact with an indexing feature 142 or a positioning plate 140 in wing panel 150, the positioning plate 140 being physically coupled to the indexing feature 142. The indexing feature 142 is formed or otherwise placed at a known location along wing panel 150, and in one embodiment, the individual indexing features 142 are spaced equidistant along wing panel 150. The indexing features 142 are each positioned to be accessible to indexing units 112 at one or more stations 120. In one embodiment, the indexing feature 142 is disposed within a trimming edge manufacturing allowance 171 of wing panel 150, which is trimmed away at edge trimming stations 120-6.

[0043] In one embodiment, each station 120 in assembly line 100 inserts, grips, engages, or aligns with indexing feature 142. In a further embodiment, shuttle 130 is physically coupled to indexing feature 142, and hard stops 112-1 or other features at station 120 are used to index shuttle 130 to the station. During assembly, shuttle 130 is pulsed (e.g., moving at a distance at least equal to the shortest distance between indexing features 142, the spacing distance between ribs 600 (“rib pitch”) (not shown), or a fraction or multiple of the rib pitch), or moves continuously and is indexed to station 120. Work is then performed by the various stations 120. Whenever indexing feature 142 and shuttle 130 engage, shuttle 130 is indexed to station 120. Thus, the position of wing panel 150 is indexed to a known position in the coordinate space shared by track 110 and station 120.

[0044] In one embodiment, the indexing is performed at least according to the following description. The wing panel 150 is carried on a shuttle 130 that moves along a track 110, which includes a guide rail system embedded in a base plate, bolted to a base plate disposed above a floor, glued to a base plate, placed on a base plate, etc. The guide rail (not shown) is positioned at a predefined location determined during the design of the assembly line 100. The wing panel 150 is indexed to the shuttle 130 via an indexing feature 142 and suspended below the shuttle 130. As the shuttle 130 advances 121 to a single station 120, it is indexed to an indexing unit 112. Therefore, the 3D position and rotation of the wing panel 150 are precisely known, including a profile 167 applied by a spring member 160. This is achieved without requiring a full scan at each station 120 via probes or optical techniques, because the wing panel 150 is shifted to the shuttle 130 and the shuttle 130 is shifted to station 120. Therefore, the profile 167 (outer mold line (OML) and inner mold line (IML) loft features) of the wing panel 150 at a single station 120 is known at station 120 after each pulse.

[0045] Due to the precise indexing and the order in which the wing panels 150 are inserted into the assembly line 100, the end effectors / tools at each station can accurately know their position relative to the wing panels 150, whether the wing panels 150 are top / bottom / left / right wing panels 150, the outline 167 of the wing panels 150, and when the wing panels 150 are locked in place. Because of the precise indexing, technicians at each station can accurately know their position relative to the wing panels 150 when they are locked in place. The 3D position and orientation of the wing panels 150 are then established or indexed to any CNC programming or automation system used at station 120. Therefore, no time setting or scanning is required after each pulse of the wing panels 150. Furthermore, structures added to or removed from the wing panels 150 in the existing station 120 can be added to the wing panel 150 model or representation within the system without scanning the wing panels 150 for modification.

[0046] The operation of station 120 is managed by controller 170. In one embodiment, controller 170 determines the movement of shuttle 130 along track 110 and uses this input to manage the operation of station 120 according to instructions stored in an NC program. Controller 170 may be implemented as, for example, custom circuitry, a hardware processor that executes programmed instructions, or some combination thereof.

[0047] Follow us now Figure 1B The exemplary embodiment generally illustrates a production system for composite parts. A controller 190 coordinates and controls the operation of workstation 120 and one or more shuttles 130 along a path having a power system 198 (e.g., Figure 1A The movement of the shuttle 130 along the track 110 of the motor 132. The controller 190 may include a processor 191 coupled to a memory 192 connected to a stored program 194. In one example, the shuttle 130 moves along a path driven by a power system 198 (e.g., motor 132). Figure 1A The moving line 199, continuously driven by the motor 132, is driven by the power system 198, which is controlled by the controller 190. In this example, the shuttle 130 (also...) Figure 1A(As shown in the diagram) includes a utility connection 197-8, which may include an electrical, pneumatic, and / or hydraulic quick-disconnect device for connecting the shuttle 130 to a utility 194-1 from an external source. In other examples, the shuttle 130 includes an automated guided vehicle (AGV) with onboard facilities and a Global Positioning System (GPS) / Automatic Guidance System 197-9. In a further example, the movement of the shuttle 130 is controlled using a laser tracker 195. A position and / or motion sensor 193, coupled to the controller 190, is used to determine the position of the shuttle 130 and the power system 198.

[0048] Figure 1C A flowchart 180 illustrating the fabrication of a composite part in an exemplary embodiment is depicted. For example... Figure 1C The manufacturing process, as depicted, includes hardening 186 to form a composite part, after which the composite part travels to a new location to receive (e.g., manufacturing allowance 168). Figure 1A The process includes (as shown) trimming 187, inspection 188 (e.g., via a non-destructive method), rework 189, and surface treatment 183. Rework 189 follows inspection 188.

[0049] Regarding Figure 2A and Figure 2B The following are illustrative details of the operation of assembly line 100. For this embodiment, it is assumed that wing panel 150 is fixed to positioning plate 140, and shuttle 130 carrying positioning plate 140 is placed on assembly line 100. That is, wing panel 150 is suspended at assembly line 100 via positioning plate 140, which applies contour 167 to wing panel 150.

[0050] Figure 2A This is a flowchart illustrating a method 200 for processing wing panels and manufacturing a wing via assembly line 100 in an exemplary embodiment. (See reference...) Figure 1A The assembly line 100 describes the steps of method 200, but those skilled in the art will understand that method 200 can be performed in other systems. The steps in the flowchart described herein are not all included and may include other steps not shown. The steps described herein may also be performed in an alternative order.

[0051] In step 202, wing panels 150 are arranged longitudinally in alternating orientations at assembly line 100 such that wing panels 150 with wingtip segments 150-1 facing forward are adjacent to wing panels with wing root segments 150-3 facing forward, with the 0ML of each panel facing upward. In some exemplary examples, in step 202, wing panels 150 are arranged longitudinally in alternating orientations at assembly line 100 such that wing panels 150 with wingtip segments 150-1 facing forward are sequentially adjacent to wing panels 150 with wing root segments 150-3 facing forward. That is, the wing panels 150 are alternately oriented to travel along the processing direction 181 from root to tip and from tip to root, with the 0ML of each wing panel 150 facing upward. This results in a common working area 150-4 spanning multiple wing panels 150. As the wing panel 150 travels through station 120, the expanded common work area 150-4 facilitates less change in processing tools and personnel. With the ribs 600 mounted chordally 169 and capable of being installed in a single station 120, either during a pause between pulses or in a continuous process, the spanwise orientation of the wing panel 150 favors the mounting of the ribs 600. The ribs 600 are mounted at rib spacing or intervals, which facilitates micro-pulsation of the wing panel 150 at rib spacing intervals or multiples or fractions thereof.

[0052] The tip-to-root arrangement facilitates positioning the leading edge 155 on one side of station 120 and the trailing edge 157 of the wing panel 150 on the other side of station 120. Each wing panel 150 has a leading edge 155 on a first side 166 of each station 120. Each wing panel 150 has a trailing edge 157 on a second side 165 of each station 120. The advantage of this type of arrangement is that the machining tools and fixtures required for assembling the trailing edge 157 are always on the second side 165, while the machining tools and fixtures required for the leading edge 155 are always on the first side 166, thereby improving efficiency. This is an example of bringing the work to the machining tools and technicians, rather than bringing the machining tools and technicians and therefore the work to the appropriate parts of the wing panel 150. In a further embodiment, wing panels 150 for different models of aircraft are sequentially replaced one another along assembly line 100.

[0053] In step 204, the wing panel 150 is advanced 121 in the processing direction 181 past station 120 at assembly line 100. In one embodiment, this step includes operating a motor 132 at shuttle 130 to drive shuttle 130 in the processing direction 181. In a further embodiment, this step includes operating a chain drive at track 110 that synchronizes the advancement 121 of all shuttles 130.

[0054] Step 206 includes: operating stations to perform work sequentially on paired wingtip sections 150-1 and paired wing root sections 150-3. Specifically, each station 120 performs work on the wingtip section 150-1 of the first wing panel 153, followed by the wingtip section 150-1 of the second wing panel 152, and each station 120 performs work on the wing root section 150-3 of the second wing panel 152, followed by the wing root section 150-3 of the third wing panel 151. In other words, each station 120 can change its operating mode to accommodate different work areas (e.g., across multiple wing root sections 150-3 of different wing panels 150) before... Figure 1A Similar types of work are performed throughout the entire common work area 150-4 (e.g., multiple wingtip sections 150-1 spanning different wing panels).

[0055] Furthermore, the leading edges 155 and trailing edges 157 of this series of wing panels 150 are arranged such that the leading edge 155 always occupies the first side 166 of the assembly line 100, while the trailing edge 157 always occupies the second side 165 of the assembly line 100. Therefore, one side of the workstation 120 always operates on the leading edge 155 of each wing panel 150, while the other side of the workstation 120 always operates on the trailing edge 157 of each wing panel 150. Operation continues similarly, alternating between paired wingtip sections 150-1 and paired wing root sections 150-3 for the additional wing panels 150, wherein the paired wingtip sections 150-1 and paired wing root sections 150-3 may be separated by one or more intermediate length sections 150-2.

[0056] In one embodiment, the wing panels 150 travel in a micro-pulsating manner as described above, wherein the wing panels 150 advance synchronously 121 less than their span, and then pause at each interval to receive work at one of the plurality of workstations 120. In a further full-pulsating embodiment, the wing panels 150 pulse their entire span (including wingtip segment 150-1 plus intermediate length segment 150-2 plus wing root segment 150-3), and then pause to receive work at the plurality of workstations 120. In either case, the wing panels 150 pulse in the processing direction 181, and the workstations 120 perform work on the wing panels 150 during the pauses between pulses. In yet another embodiment, the wing panels 150 advance continuously 121 in the processing direction 181, and the workstations 120 perform work on the wing panels 150 during continuous movement.

[0057] In any of the above-mentioned cases, method 200 may further include: performing a different operation / work on the wingtip section 150-1 than on the wing root section 150-3 for at least one station 120, and / or applying a different component to the wingtip section 150-1 than to the wing root section 150-3 for at least one station. Such a different operation may include installing a different number or type of fasteners, installing a different number or type of components, etc.

[0058] Method 200 offers a technological advantage over the prior art because it enables the wing panels 150 of the aircraft 10 to be manufactured in a manner that sequentially places identical (common) sections for work. This increases throughput and reduces the labor and time associated with switching operating modes at station 120. Further benefits are gained because the leading edge 155 is placed at the first side 166 of station 120 and the trailing edge 157 is placed at the second side 165 of station 120. The machining tools and personnel used on the leading edge 155 of the wing panel 150 do not need to be moved from the first side 166 to the second side 165 of the station, and vice versa.

[0059] Figure 2B This is a flowchart illustrating another method 250 for manufacturing wings 15, 16 via assembly line 100 in an illustrative embodiment. Step 252 of method 250 includes securing a first wing panel 153 to a first positioning plate 140, which applies a contour 167 to the first wing panel 153. In one embodiment, this is achieved by transposing the positioning plate 140 to a transposition feature 142 at the first wing panel 153 and applying a plurality of springs 160 to the first wing panel 153 at a desired height and position to apply a vacuum clamp that applies the contour 167 to the first wing panel 153.

[0060] Step 254 includes placing the first positioning plate 140 on track 110 while the first wing panel 153 is oriented with the wingtip section 150-1 forward. That is, the positioning plate 140 is loaded onto a shuttle 130 on track 110, or a shuttle 130 carrying the positioning plate 140 is loaded onto track 110 such that the processing direction 181 of the wing panel 150 passes through assembly line 100. In some exemplary examples, step 254 includes placing the first positioning plate 140 on track 110 while the first wing panel 153 is oriented with the wing root section 150-3 forward.

[0061] Step 256 includes securing the second wing panel 152 to the second positioning plate 140, which applies the contour 167 to the second wing panel 152, and performing the action in a manner similar to step 252 described above.

[0062] Step 258 includes placing the positioning plate 140 on the track 110 while the second wing panel 152 is oriented so that the wing root section 150-3 is forward, and performing this step in a manner similar to step 254 above, except that the second wing panel 152 is oriented in a mirror image of the orientation of the first wing panel 153. In some exemplary examples, step 254 includes placing the first positioning plate 140 on the track 110 while the first wing panel 153 is oriented so that the wing root section 150-3 is forward, and step 258 includes placing the positioning plate 140 on the track 110 while the second wing panel 152 is oriented so that the wingtip section 150-1 is forward.

[0063] Step 260 includes advancing each positioning plate 140 along track 110. In one embodiment, this is performed in the same manner as step 204 of method 200. As the wing panel 150 advances (or during pauses between pulses), station 120 performs work on the wing panel 150. From the perspective of station 120, the wing root section 150-3 of the first wing panel 153 is received, followed by the wingtip section 150-1 of the first wing panel 153, followed by the wingtip section 150-1 of the second wing panel 152, followed by the wing root section 150-3 of the second wing panel 152, and alternates in a similar manner for additional wing panels 150 arranged in spanwise order. The advancement process can be performed in a micro-pulsating, full-pulsating, or continuous manner as described above.

[0064] Step 262 includes operating station 120 at track 110 to perform work sequentially at a pair of wing root sections 150-3 of the first wing panel 153 and the second wing panel 152. That is, station 120 performs work on a pair of wing root sections 150-3, for example, a first instance of the wing root section 150-3 of the first wing panel 153 and a second instance of the wing root section 150-3 of the second wing panel 152. Regarding the second wing panel 152, any intermediate length section 150-2 follows the wing root section 150-3 and is followed by a pair of wingtip sections 150-1, as shown in the second wing panel 152 and the third wing panel 151. Any intermediate length section 150-2 follows the pair of wing root sections 150-3 and is followed by a pair of wing root sections 150-3, etc. This means that the wing root sections 150-3 at adjacent wing panels 150 form a common working area 150-4, as do the wingtip sections 150-1 at adjacent wing panels 150. Therefore, workstations 120-1 to 120-9 can perform wing root section 150-3 operating modes for multiple wing root sections 150-3 before switching the operating mode to the intermediate length section 150-2 or wingtip section 150-1 operating mode. In some exemplary examples, step 262 includes operating workstation 120 at track 110 to sequentially perform work on a pair of wingtip sections 150-1 of the first wing panel 153 and the second wing panel 152. That is, workstation 120 performs work on a pair of wingtip sections 150-1 (e.g., a first instance of wingtip section 150-1 of the first wing panel 153 and a second instance of wingtip section 150-1 of the second wing panel 152). Regarding the second wing panel 152, any intermediate length segment 150-2 following the wingtip segment 150-1 and then a pair of wing root segments 150-3, as shown in the second wing panel 152 and the third wing panel 151. Similarly, any intermediate length segment 150-2 following a pair of wing root segments 150-3, and so on. This means that the wing root segments 150-3 at adjacent wing panels 150 form a common working area 150-4, as do the wingtip segments 150-1 at adjacent wing panels 150. Therefore, workstations 120-1 to 120-9 can perform wingtip segment 150-1 operating modes for multiple wingtip segments 150-1 before switching to the intermediate length segment 150-2 or wing root segment 150-3 operating modes. As used herein, the common working area 150-4 spans paired sections of the wing panel 150, the paired sections identifying identical but oriented mirror portions of the wing panel 150. That is, the common working area 150-4 may include a pair of wingtip sections 150-1, a pair of wing root sections 150-3, etc.

[0065] The processing continues iteratively as follows: the third wing panel 151 is fixed to a positioning plate 140, which applies a contour 167 to the third wing panel 151; while the third wing panel 151 is oriented so that the wing root section 150-3 is forward, the positioning plate 140 is placed at a track 110; the positioning plates 140 with the first wing panel 153, the second wing panel 152, and the third wing panel 151 are advanced along the track 110; and a work station 120 is operated at the track 110 to sequentially perform work at a pair of wing root sections 150-3 of the second wing panel 152 and the third wing panel 151. This operation is performed on additional wing panels 150 in the lateral series on a continuous basis.

[0066] While the wing panel arrangement discussed above describes the first wing panel 153 being arranged such that the wing root section 150-3 is forward, in a further embodiment, the first wing panel 153 has the wingtip section 150-1 forward, and the third wing panel 151 has the wingtip section 150-1 forward. Furthermore, the wing panels can be arranged such that the leading edge 155 and the trailing edge 157 are always on the same side of the workstation 120 (i.e., on the second side 165 and the first side 166, respectively). Method 250 provides technical advantages over the prior art in a manner similar to that of method 200 described above.

[0067] Figure 3 This is a wing-direction view of the wing panels 150 (particularly the third wing panel 151 and the second wing panel 152) receiving work at assembly line 100 in an exemplary embodiment, and corresponding to... Figure 1A View arrow 3. (For example) Figure 3As shown, the shuttle 130 advances along track 110 in the processing direction and includes a positioning plate 140. Positioning plate 140 includes a spring 160, which includes a shaft 322 with adjustable length. Spring 160 also includes a vacuum connector 324. By setting the lengths of the respective shafts 322 and applying vacuum clamping to the third wing panel 151 and the second wing panel 152 via the vacuum connector 324, a profile 167 is applied to the third wing panel 151 and the second wing panel 152. It should be noted again that the profile 167 can vary depending on whether the wing panel 150 is an upper or lower wing panel. Workstation 120 performs work on the third wing panel 151 and the second wing panel 152, and in this embodiment, operates the end effector 122. Alternatively or additionally, manual work is performed within a channel located below the lower surface 310 of the third wing panel 151 and the second wing panel 152. In this configuration, safety measures are enforced to prevent human workers and end effectors (i.e., robots) from interfering with each other. The third wing panel 151 and the second wing panel 152 are arranged such that the wing root section 150-3 and the wingtip section 150-1 are adjacent to the adjacent wing panel 150, thereby creating a common working area 150-4 spanning the paired wing root sections 150-3 and wingtip sections 150-1. Furthermore, time is saved because it is not necessary to move machining tools specifically designed for the leading edge 155 and trailing edge 157 (e.g., machining tools within station 120) from the second side 165 of station 120 to the first side 166 of station 120 when subsequent wing panels 150 sequentially enter station 120.

[0068] In a further embodiment, the spring 160 and vacuum connector 324 are positioned relative to the third wing panel 151 and the second wing panel 152 to allow access to specific locations on the third wing panel 151 and the second wing panel 152 for assembly purposes. Specifically, the placement of the spring 160 and vacuum connector 324 allows for localized access to the rib and / or spar platform 311 and provides sufficient clearance to facilitate the assembly of parts (including ribs or spars, not shown) that are joined at the rib and / or spar platform 311. During assembly within a specific station 120, the spring 160 and vacuum connector 324 may be further temporarily removed to better access the rib and / or spar platform 311 on the third wing panel 151 and the second wing panel 152.

[0069] Figure 4 This is an end view 400 of a wing panel 150 being transported along assembly line 100 in an exemplary embodiment, and corresponding to... Figure 1A Arrow 4 in the view. Figure 4The diagram shows a contour 167 applied to the wing panel 150 and further shows an end effector 122 at workstation 120, which is movable as needed to perform work on different portions of the wing panel 150. A technician 401 assigned to workstation 120 is also movable as needed to perform work on different portions of the wing panel 150.

[0070] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of a fully assembled wing 500 in an exemplary embodiment, including a wing root 580 and a wingtip 570. The wing 500 can be assembled from an upper wing panel 502 and a lower wing panel 504, a leading edge 550 and a trailing edge 560, structures such as slats (not shown) and corner plates (not shown) on the leading edge 550, an engine pylon 540 on the leading edge 550, and flaps (not shown) on the trailing edge 560, and other structures. As used above, spanwise 561 and chordwise 562 correspond to spanwise 159 and chordwise 169, respectively.

[0071] Figure 6 This is a view of rib 600 in an exemplary embodiment. In this embodiment, rib 600 includes a web 610 and a flange 620 for attachment to a skin of a wing (not shown). The side portion 622 of rib 600 is sized to attach to a spar 640. Rib 600 also includes rat holes 630 for accommodating longitudinal beams, cables, and other components.

[0072] For more specific details, please refer to the accompanying drawings, as shown in... Figure 7 The method shown in 700 and Figure 8 Embodiments of this disclosure are described in the context of aircraft manufacturing and servicing in the illustrated aircraft 702. During pre-production, method 700 may include the specification and design 704 of aircraft 702 and material procurement 706. During production, the fabrication 708 of components and sub-assemblies of aircraft 702 and system integration 710 occur. Thereafter, aircraft 702 can be certified and delivered 712 for service 714. When serviced by a customer, aircraft 702 is scheduled for repair and maintenance 77 (this may also include modification, remodeling, refurbishment, etc.). The apparatus and methods described herein may be employed during any or more suitable phases of production and service as described in method 700 (e.g., specifications and design 704, material procurement 706, component and sub-component fabrication 708, system integration 710, certification and delivery 712, service entry 714, repair and maintenance 77) and / or in any suitable component of aircraft 702 (e.g., airframe 718, systems 720, interior 722, propulsion system 724, electrical system 726, hydraulic system 728, environment 730).

[0073] Each process of Method 700 may be performed or executed by a system integrator, a third party, and / or an operator (e.g., a customer). For the purposes of this description, a system integrator may include, but is not limited to, any number of aircraft manufacturers and major system subcontractors; a third party may include, but is not limited to, any number of vendors, subcontractors, and suppliers; and an operator may be an airline, leasing company, military entity, service provider, etc.

[0074] like Figure 8 As shown, an aircraft 702 produced by method 700 may include an airframe 718 having multiple systems 720 and an interior 722. Examples of systems 720 include one or more of a propulsion system 724, an electrical system 726, a hydraulic system 728, and an environmental system 730. Any number of other systems may be included. Although an aerospace example is shown, the principles of the invention can be applied to other industries, such as the automotive industry.

[0075] As mentioned above, the apparatus and methods implemented herein may be employed during any or more phases of the production and service described in method 700. For example, components or sub-assemblies corresponding to component and sub-assembly production 708 may be manufactured or produced in a manner similar to that of components or sub-assemblies produced during the service of aircraft 702. Furthermore, one or more apparatus embodiments, method embodiments, or combinations thereof may be used during sub-assembly production 708 and system integration 710, for example, by significantly accelerating the assembly of aircraft 702 or reducing its cost. Similarly, one or more apparatus embodiments, method embodiments, or combinations thereof may be used during the service of aircraft 702, for example, but not limited to, during maintenance and repair 77. Therefore, the present invention can be used at any stage or any combination thereof discussed herein (e.g., specifications and design 704, material procurement 706, component and sub-component fabrication 708, system integration 710, certification and delivery 712, service 714, repair and maintenance 77) and / or any suitable component of the aircraft 702 (e.g., airframe 718, system 720, interior 722, propulsion system 724, electrical system 726, hydraulic system 728 and / or environment 730).

[0076] In one embodiment, the part comprises a portion of the airframe 718 and is manufactured during component and subassembly fabrication 708. The part can then be assembled into the aircraft in system integration 710 and used in service 714 until wear renders it unusable. Then, in repair and maintenance 77, the part can be discarded and replaced with a newly manufactured part. The components and methods of the present invention can be utilized throughout component and subassembly fabrication 708 to produce new parts.

[0077] Any of the various control elements (e.g., electrical or electronic components) shown in the accompanying drawings or described herein can be implemented as hardware, a processor implementing software, a processor implementing firmware, or some combination thereof. For example, an element can be implemented as dedicated hardware. A dedicated hardware element can be referred to as a “processor,” a “controller,” or some similar term. When provided by a processor, these functions can be provided by a single dedicated processor, a single shared processor, or multiple individual processors (some of which may share resources). Furthermore, the explicit use of the terms “processor” or “controller” should not be construed as referring specifically to hardware capable of executing software, and may implicitly include, but is not limited to, digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, network processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or other circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), read-only memory (ROM) for storing software, random access memory (RAM), non-volatile memory, logic, or certain other physical hardware components or modules.

[0078] Furthermore, control elements can be implemented as instructions executable by a processor or computer to perform the functions of the element. Some examples of instructions are software, program code, and firmware. Instructions are operable when executed by a processor to instruct the processor to perform the functions of the element. Instructions can be stored on a processor-readable storage device. Some examples of storage devices are digital or solid-state memory, magnetic storage media such as disks and tapes, hard disk drives, or optically readable digital data storage media.

[0079] Furthermore, this disclosure includes implementations according to the following provisions:

[0080] Clause 1. A method for an assembly line (100) for processing a wing panel (150) of an aircraft, the method comprising: inputting a wing panel (150) into the assembly line (100), the assembly line (100) having a plurality of stations (120), the wing panel (150) being oriented such that the entire leading edge (155) is on a first side (166) of the station (120) and the entire trailing edge (157) is on a second side (165) of the station (120); and advancing the wing panel (150) through the plurality of stations (120) in a processing direction (181), at least a first portion of the plurality of stations (120) being dedicated to processing the leading edge (155) of the wing panel, and a second portion of the station (120) being dedicated to processing the trailing edge (157) of the wing panel.

[0081] Clause 2. The method according to Clause 1, wherein inputting the wing panel (150) into the assembly line (100) comprises: inputting the wing panel (150) into the assembly line (100) in such a manner that the wing root sections (150-3) are adjacent, the method further comprising: operating at least one station (120) dedicated to processing the wing root sections (150-3).

[0082] Clause 3. The method according to Clause 2, wherein operating at least one station (120) dedicated to processing the wing root section (150-3) includes processing the wing root section (150-3) of two adjacent wing panels (150) simultaneously.

[0083] Clause 4. The method according to Clause 1, wherein inputting the wing panel (150) into the assembly line (100) comprises: inputting the wing panel (150) into the assembly line (100) in such a manner that the wingtip sections (150-1) are adjacent, the method further comprising: operating at least one station (120) dedicated to processing the wingtip sections (150-1).

[0084] Clause 5. The method according to Clause 4, wherein operating at least one station (120) dedicated to processing the wingtip section (150-1) includes processing the wingtip sections (150-1) of two adjacent wing panels (150) simultaneously.

[0085] Clause 6. The method according to Clause 1, wherein inputting the wing panel (150) into the assembly line (100) comprises: inputting the upper left wing panel, the lower left wing panel, the upper right wing panel and the lower right wing panel into the assembly line (100), wherein all leading edges (155) are oriented to the first side (166) of the station (120).

[0086] Clause 7. The method according to Clause 1, wherein advancing the wing panel (150) in the processing direction (181) includes one of continuously advancing the wing panel (150) in the processing direction (181) and pulsating the wing panel (150) in the processing direction (181), wherein work is performed on the wing panel (150) at multiple workstations (120) based on the capacity of the workstation (120) and a combination of segments of the wing panel (150) within a single workstation (120).

[0087] Clause 8. The method described in Clause 7, wherein the work performed includes one or more of the following: drilling, trimming, inspecting, painting, sealing, cutting wing panel access openings, installing wing panel access doors, laying sacrificial sheets, processing sacrificial sheets, reworking materials, installing wing ribs, and attaching components to said wing panel (150).

[0088] Clause 9. The method according to Clause 1, wherein feeding the wing panel (150) into the assembly line (100) includes applying a contour (167) to the wing panel (150) using a positioning plate (140).

[0089] Clause 10. The method according to Clause 1, wherein inputting wing panels (150) into assembly line (100) includes inputting wing panels (150) of different aircraft models into assembly line (100) in such a manner that wing panels (150) of different aircraft models are input into each other adjacent to each other.

[0090] Clause 11. The method according to Clause 1, wherein advancing the wing panel (150) comprises shifting at least one shift feature (142) associated with the wing panel (150) to a shift unit (112) in the assembly line (100).

[0091] Clause 12. The method according to Clause 1, wherein advancing the wing panel (150) comprises shifting a shuttle (130) having at least one shifting feature (142) associated with the wing panel (150) to a shifting unit (112) in the assembly line (100), the shuttle being operable to move the wing panel (150) along the assembly line (100).

[0092] Clause 13. The method according to Clause 1, the method further comprising: operating the workstation (120) to track the wing panel (150) within a work area (123) associated with the workstation (120).

[0093] Clause 14. A part of an aircraft, said part being assembled in accordance with the method described in Clause 1.

[0094] Clause 15. An assembly line (100) for processing wing panels (150) of an aircraft (10), the assembly line (100) comprising: a track (110) traveling in a processing direction (181); a plurality of workstations (120) distributed along the track (110) in the processing direction (181), each workstation (120) having a first side (166) and a second side (165), the workstations (120)... 0) A portion on the first side (166) is dedicated to processing the leading edge (155) wing panel (150), and a portion on the second side (165) of the station (120) is dedicated to processing the trailing edge (157) wing panel (150); and a plurality of positioning plates (140) operable to engage the wing panel (150) and move the wing panel (150) along the track (110) through the plurality of stations (120).

[0095] Clause 16. The assembly line (100) according to Clause 15, wherein the positioning plate (140) includes a spring (160) operable to apply a profile (167) onto the wing panel (150).

[0096] Clause 17. The assembly line (100) according to Clause 16 further includes a plurality of shuttles (130), each shuttle (130) being operable to move an associated positioning plate (140) along the track (110).

[0097] Clause 18. The assembly line (100) pursuant to Clause 15, wherein:

[0098] The first part of the workstation (120) is configured to process the wing root section (150-3) of the wing panel (150), and the first part of the workstation (120) is also operable to process the wing root section (150-3) of the two wing panels (150) simultaneously when the wing root sections (150-3) of the two wing panels (150) are arranged adjacent to each other along the track (110); and the second part of the workstation (120) is configured to process the wingtip section (150-1) of the wing panel (150), and the second part of the workstation (120) is also operable to process the wingtip section (150-1) of the two wing panels (150) simultaneously when the wingtip sections (150-1) of the two wing panels (150) are arranged adjacent to each other along the track (110).

[0099] Clause 19. The assembly line (100) according to Clause 15, wherein the positioning plate (140) and the workstation (120) are operable to process the wing panel (150) of a first model aircraft (10) and the wing panel (150) of a second model aircraft (10), the wing panel (150) of the first model aircraft (10) and the wing panel (150) of the second model aircraft (10) being arranged adjacent to each other in the assembly line (100).

[0100] Clause 20. The assembly line (100) according to Clause 15, wherein the positioning plate (140) is configured to engage wing panels (150) such that the leading edge of any one of the upper left wing panel, lower left wing panel, upper right wing panel, and lower right wing panel is positioned on the same side of the station (120).

[0101] Clause 21. The assembly line (100) according to Clause 15, wherein the station (120) performs operations selected from the group consisting of: drilling, trimming, inspection, painting, sealing, cutting wing panel access openings, installing wing panel access doors, laying sacrificial sheets, processing sacrificial sheets, reworking materials, installing wing ribs, and attaching components to the wing panel (150).

[0102] Clause 22. The assembly line (100) according to Clause 15, wherein at least a portion of the workstations (120) includes an end effector (122) operable to move relative to the wing panel (150).

[0103] Clause 23. The assembly line (100) according to Clause 15, wherein the station (120) includes a shifting unit (112) operable to interact with a shifting feature (142) associated with the wing panel (150) to control the propulsion of the wing panel (150).

[0104] Clause 24. The assembly line (100) according to Clause 23 further includes a plurality of shuttles (130), each shuttle (130) operable to move an associated positioning plate (140) along the track (110); the indexing feature (142) is disposed on the plurality of positioning plates (140) and indexed to the wing panel (150) supported by the positioning plates (140).

[0105] Clause 25. The assembly line (100) according to Clause 24, wherein the shuttle (130) is configured to continuously advance the wing panel (150) in the processing direction (181), wherein work is carried out on the wing panel (150) at the plurality of stations (120).

[0106] Clause 26. The assembly line (100) according to Clause 24, wherein the shuttle (130) is configured to pulsate the wing panel (150) in the processing direction (181), wherein work is performed on the wing panel (150) at the plurality of stations (120).

[0107] Clause 27. The assembly line (100) according to Clause 15, wherein the station (120) operates (120) to track the wing panel (150) within a working range (123) associated with the station (120).

[0108] Clause 28. Use the assembly line (100) described in Clause 15 to manufacture a part of the aircraft (10).

[0109] Clause 29. A method for processing a wing panel (150) of an aircraft, the method comprising: securing a first wing panel (150) to a first positioning plate (140) that applies a contour (167) to the first wing panel (150); moving the first positioning plate (140) along a track (110) while the leading edge (155) of the first wing panel (150) is oriented toward a first side (166) of a station (120) associated with a track (110); securing a second wing panel (150) to... A second positioning plate (140) applies a contour (167) to a second wing panel (150); and when the trailing edge (157) of the second wing panel (150) is oriented toward the second side (165) of the work station (120), the second positioning plate (140) moves along a track (110), and the second wing panel (150) and the first wing panel (150) are oriented to connect wingtip sections (150-1) to wingtip sections (150-1) or wing root sections (150-3) to wing root sections (150-3).

[0110] Clause 30. The method according to Clause 29, the method further comprising: causing the first positioning plate (140) and the second positioning plate (140) to continue moving along the track (110); and operating an additional workstation (120) set along the track (110) to perform work on the first wing panel (150) and the second wing panel (150).

[0111] Clause 31. An apparatus for assembling wing panels (150), the apparatus comprising: a positioning plate (140) that applies a profile (167) to the wing panel (150) while suspending the wing panel (150); a track (110) along which the positioning plate (140) is transported; and a plurality of workstations (120) arranged along the track (110), wherein a plurality of workstations (120) simultaneously process a single wing panel (150).

[0112] Clause 32. The apparatus according to Clause 31, wherein the wing panel (150) is suspended such that the leading edge (155) of the wing panel (150) is oriented to a first side (166) of the station (120) and the trailing edge (157) of the wing panel (150) is oriented to a second side (165) of the station (120).

[0113] Although specific embodiments have been described herein, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to those specific embodiments. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for an assembly line (100) for processing wing panels (150) of an aircraft, the method comprising the following steps: A series of wing panels (150) are fed into the assembly line (100), the assembly line (100) having multiple stations (120), the wing panels (150) being oriented such that the leading edges (155) are all on the first side (166) of the station (120) and the trailing edges (157) are all on the second side (165) of the station (120), wherein the step of feeding the series of wing panels (150) into the assembly line (100) includes feeding the series of wing panels (150) into the assembly line (100) such that two wing root sections (150-3) of a continuous wing panel in the series of wing panels are adjacent or two wing tip sections (150-1) of a continuous wing panel in the series of wing panels are adjacent; The wing panel (150) is advanced through the plurality of workstations (120) in the processing direction (181), at least a first portion of the plurality of workstations (120) being dedicated to processing the leading edge (155) of the wing panel, and a second portion of the workstations (120) being dedicated to processing the trailing edge (157) of the wing panel; and The operation is configured to perform at least one station for wing root section machining or wingtip section machining, wherein the wing root section machining includes machining the wing root sections of two adjacent wing panels simultaneously, and the wingtip section machining includes machining the wingtip sections of two adjacent wing panels simultaneously.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The step of feeding the wing panel (150) into the assembly line (100) includes at least one of the following: The upper left wing panel, lower left wing panel, upper right wing panel, and lower right wing panel are fed into the assembly line (100), wherein all leading edges (155) are oriented to the first side (166) of the station (120). The contour (167) is applied to the wing panel (150) using a positioning plate (140); and Wing panels (150) of different aircraft models are fed into the assembly line (100) in such a way that the wing panels (150) of different aircraft models are fed into each other adjacently.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The step of advancing the wing panel (150) in the processing direction (181) includes one of continuously advancing the wing panel (150) in the processing direction (181) and pulsating the wing panel (150) in the processing direction (181), wherein work is performed on the wing panel (150) at the plurality of workstations (120) based on a combination of workstation (120) capacity and segments of the wing panel (150) within a single workstation (120), and multiple workstations of the plurality of workstations are able to work on the same wing panel during the continuous advancement of the wing panel in the processing direction or during the pause in the pulsation of the wing panel in the processing direction.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, The work performed includes one or more of the following: drilling, trimming, inspection, painting, sealing, cutting wing panel access openings, installing wing panel access doors, laying sacrificial sheets, processing sacrificial sheets, reworking materials, installing wing ribs, and attaching components to the wing panel (150).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The step of advancing the wing panel (150) includes: shifting at least one shift feature (142) associated with the wing panel (150) to a shift unit (112) in the assembly line (100), and / or shifting a shuttle (130) having at least one shift feature (142) associated with the wing panel (150) to a shift unit (112) in the assembly line (100), the shuttle being operable to move the wing panel (150) along the assembly line (100).

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps: Operate the workstation (120) to track the wing panel (150) within the working range (123) associated with the workstation (120).

7. An assembly line (100) for processing wing panels (150) of an aircraft (10), the assembly line (100) comprising: Track (110), said track (110) is parallel to the processing direction (181); Multiple workstations (120) are distributed along the track (110) in the processing direction (181), wherein multiple workstations of the multiple workstations process a single wing panel during the same pause between the pulses of the wing panel passing through the multiple workstations along the track or during the continuous advance of the wing panel passing through the multiple workstations along the track, each workstation (120) having a first side (166) and a second side (165), the portion of the workstation (120) on the first side (166) dedicated to processing the leading edge (155) wing panel (150), and the portion of the workstation (120) on the second side (165) dedicated to processing the trailing edge (157) wing panel (150), each of the multiple workstations being configured to perform a different type of operation, wherein: The first set of workstations (120) is configured to process the root sections (150-3) of the wing panels (150), which are arranged in a series in the processing direction (181). At least one of the workstations in the first set of workstations (120) is also operable to simultaneously process the root sections (150-3) of two consecutive wing panels (150) when the root sections (150-3) of two consecutive wing panels (150) in the series are arranged adjacent to each other along the track (110). The second set of workstations (120) is configured to process the wingtip segments (150-1) of the wing panels (150), and at least one of the workstations in the second set of workstations (120) is also operable to simultaneously process the wingtip segments (150-1) of two consecutive wing panels (150) when the wingtip segments (150-1) of two consecutive wing panels (150) in the series are arranged to be adjacent to each other along the track (110); and Multiple positioning plates (140) are operable to engage the wing panel (150) and advance the wing panel (150) along the track (110) through the multiple workstations (120).

8. The assembly line (100) according to claim 7, wherein, The positioning plate (140) includes a spring (160) operable to apply a contour (167) onto the wing panel (150).

9. The assembly line (100) according to claim 8, wherein, The assembly line also includes multiple shuttles (130), each shuttle (130) being operable to move an associated positioning plate (140) along the track (110).

10. The assembly line (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein, The positioning plate (140) and the workstation (120) are operable to process the wing panel (150) of a first model aircraft (10) and the wing panel (150) of a second model aircraft (10), the wing panel (150) of the first model aircraft (10) and the wing panel (150) of the second model aircraft (10) being arranged adjacent to each other in the assembly line (100); and / or, wherein the positioning plate (140) is configured to engage the wing panel (150) such that the leading edge (155) of any one of the upper left wing panel, the lower left wing panel, the upper right wing panel and the lower right wing panel is located on the same side of the workstation (120).

11. The assembly line (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein, The workstation (120) performs operations selected from the group consisting of: drilling, trimming, inspection, painting, sealing, cutting wing panel access openings, installing wing panel access doors, laying sacrificial sheets, processing sacrificial sheets, reworking materials, installing wing ribs, and attaching components to the wing panel (150), and / or, wherein at least a portion of the workstation (120) includes an end effector (122) operable to move relative to the wing panel (150).

12. The assembly line (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein, The workstation (120) includes a shifting unit (112) operable to interact with a shifting feature (142) associated with the wing panel (150) to control the propulsion of the wing panel (150).

13. The assembly line (100) according to claim 12, wherein, The assembly line (100) also includes a plurality of shuttles (130), each shuttle (130) being operable to move an associated positioning plate (140) along the track (110); the shifting feature (142) is disposed on the plurality of positioning plates (140) and shifted to the wing panel (150) supported by the positioning plates (140).

14. The assembly line (100) according to claim 13, wherein, The shuttle (130) is configured to continuously advance the wing panel (150) in the processing direction (181), wherein work is performed on the wing panel (150) at the plurality of workstations (120); or wherein the shuttle (130) is configured to pulsate the wing panel (150) in the processing direction (181), wherein work is performed on the wing panel (150) at the plurality of workstations (120).

15. The assembly line (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein, The workstation (120) operates to track the wing panel (150) within the working range (123) associated with the workstation (120).

16. To manufacture a part of the aircraft (10) using the method of any one of claims 1 to 6 and / or the assembly line (100) of any one of claims 7 to 15.

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