Multi-Story Aircraft Assembly Layout for Limited Land Area
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft factories require large spaces for assembly due to the size of aircraft, which poses a challenge in terms of location and space utilization.
Innovation Solution
A multi-story manufacturing facility with a movement mechanism that moves the aircraft main body and attached components between stories, allowing assembly and completion in a vertical manner, utilizing conveyors or vertically movable floors to optimize space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If aircraft assembly is performed on a single-story facility, then the assembly process is simple, but large land area is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal space utilization (single-story facility) to vertical space utilization (multi-story facility). The aircraft assembly process is distributed across multiple stories, with the first story for main body assembly, second story for component attachment, and third story for final assembly. This dimensional change reduces land area requirements while maintaining assembly functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly process is segmented into distinct stages performed on different stories: main body assembly on the first story, component attachment on the second story, and final assembly/inspection on the third story. This segmentation allows each story to be optimized for specific tasks, reducing overall facility footprint while maintaining process efficiency.
2Area of stationary object
If aircraft assembly is performed on a multi-story facility, then land area is reduced, but the movement mechanism increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
A movement mechanism acts as an intermediary system between different stories, transporting the aircraft main body and components vertically. This mediator enables the multi-story assembly process by providing controlled movement between assembly stations, reducing land area while managing the added complexity through a dedicated transport system.
Solution Approach 2:
The facility incorporates dynamic elements including vertically movable floors and conveyors that can move the aircraft main body between stories. This dynamic capability allows the same physical space to serve multiple assembly stages at different vertical levels, reducing overall facility footprint while maintaining operational flexibility.
3Area of stationary object
If aircraft assembly is performed on a multi-story facility, then space utilization is optimized, but assembly process time may increase due to vertical movement
Solution Approach 1:
The movement mechanism operates continuously to transport the aircraft main body between stories during the assembly process. The vertically movable floors and conveyors are integrated into the assembly workflow, ensuring that movement between assembly stages occurs without interruption to the overall production rhythm, minimizing time loss despite vertical transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
Components are prepared and positioned on the second story before the aircraft main body arrives from the first story. This preliminary preparation allows for seamless integration when the main body is transported vertically, reducing waiting time and ensuring continuous assembly flow across multiple stories.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-story manufacturing facility includes a movement mechanism configured to move, to a second story above a first story, a main body of an aircraft assembled on the first story, and after one or more components have been attached to the main body on the second story, move, to a third story above the second story, the main body with the one or more components attached.