Adaptive Drill Plate for Remote Hole Pattern Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current match drilling techniques require physical movement of a drill plate between components for precise hole pattern transfer, limiting assembly to a single site and being costly with advanced scanning technology for high-tolerance applications like aircraft assembly.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive drill plate system that captures and digitally transfers hole patterns using pin locations, allowing precise replication of holes on a second workpiece at a remote location without co-location, using pin setting devices to align and position drill bushings for accurate drilling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If physical drill plate movement is used for hole pattern transfer, then assembly precision is maintained, but assembly flexibility and remote manufacturing capability are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy of the hole pattern from the first workpiece using coordinate measurement, then uses this digital model to guide drilling at the second workpiece location. This eliminates the need for physical drill plate movement while maintaining pattern accuracy through digital replication and coordinate-based positioning.
2Measurement precision
If advanced scanning technology is used for hole pattern capture, then measurement precision is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses simple, inexpensive alignment pins and drill plates that can be easily manufactured and replaced, replacing the need for expensive advanced scanning technology. The coordinate measurement system uses basic reference elements rather than complex scanning equipment, achieving sufficient precision through straightforward methods.
3Manufacturing precision
If single-site assembly is required for match drilling, then hole alignment precision is ensured, but productivity and manufacturing distribution are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the manufacturing process into separate stages at different locations: coordinate capture at the first workpiece site, digital data transmission, and coordinate-based drilling at the second workpiece site. This segmentation enables parallel processing and distributed manufacturing while maintaining alignment precision through digital coordinate transfer.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein provide drill hole location transfer between remote components. One embodiment is an apparatus for replicating drill holes of a first workpiece on a second workpiece remotely located from the first workpiece. The apparatus includes an interface to receive coordinate data of first alignment pins installed to first template holes of a first drill plate, and a receptacle to receive a second drill plate having second template holes that match a pattern of the first templates holes of the first drill plate. A pin setting device moves a reference member in a plane over the receptacle, and positions the reference member with respect to the second drill plate based on the coordinate data of the first alignment pins, thus indicating locations within the second template holes to position drill bushings for replicating the first holes of the first workpiece on the second workpiece.