Aircraft Part Assembly Using Digital Surface Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
The aeronautical industry faces high costs and inflexibility due to the need for custom-made jigs and tooling for precise assembly of aircraft parts, which are expensive to manufacture, maintain, and often cannot be reused across different programs, leading to significant capital investment and long return periods.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that uses digital modeling and reverse engineering to eliminate the need for conventional jigs by digitizing receptor surfaces and adapting coupling surfaces of aircraft parts, allowing for precise assembly without shims and with reduced mechanical restrictions, using a computer program to position and mechanize parts for assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional jigs and tooling are used for assembly, then manufacturing precision and stability are improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy (3D point cloud model) of the receptor surface and uses it to generate the coupling surface geometry. This digital model serves as a precise template that eliminates the need for complex physical jigs, while maintaining manufacturing precision through computational geometry and automated machining processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical jig system with a digital-information-based system. Instead of using physical tooling structures to guide assembly, the invention uses digital surface models, computer-aided design (CAD), and automated machining to achieve precise positioning and coupling of aircraft parts.
2Manufacturing precision
If custom-made jigs are manufactured for each program, then assembly precision is improved, but loss of time and adaptability worsen due to inability to reuse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal digital modeling system that can be applied across different aircraft programs and part types. The 3D scanning and point cloud processing methodology is program-agnostic, allowing the same digital workflow to serve multiple assembly operations, thereby eliminating the need for program-specific physical jigs while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs digital surface scanning and model creation before the actual machining and assembly operations. By establishing the digital reference model in advance, the system eliminates the need for time-consuming physical jig manufacturing and setup, as the digital model can be rapidly processed and used to guide automated machining processes.
3Stability of the object's composition
If jigs are used with hard points for reference, then positioning stability is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to thermal dilatations from material differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the reference from physical hard points on rigid structures to digital coordinate data from 3D surface scanning. By transitioning from physical measurement references (which are subject to thermal expansion) to digital models, the system eliminates temperature-related measurement errors while maintaining positioning stability through computational precision.
4Measurement precision
If periodic recalibration of jigs is performed, then measurement precision is maintained, but loss of time and productivity worsen due to long periods of inactivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the system to self-verify and self-correct through automated 3D scanning and point cloud comparison. The digital models can be rapidly regenerated and compared against actual surfaces, providing continuous verification without requiring external calibration operations or taking the equipment out of service, thus maintaining both precision and productivity.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The manufacturing and assembly method of parts of an aircraft comprise the following steps: - providing a first aircraft part (1) comprising a receptor surface (3) on which a coupling surface (4) of a second aircraft part (2) is to be assembled, - providing a model of the first (1) and the second (2) aircraft parts in its assembled position, the model of the second (2) aircraft part comprising machining allowances (5) in its coupling surface (4), - digitalising the receptor surface (3) of the first aircraft part (1), - positioning the digitalisation in the computer model in the assembled position such that the digitalisation of the receptor surface (3) intersects the coupling surface (4) of the second (2) aircraft part, - obtaining a model of the second part (2) in which the coupling surface (4) fits the digitalised receptor surface (3), - mechanising the second aircraft part (2).