Aircraft Airframe Section Alignment Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing assembly methods for large apparatuses, such as aircraft airframes, are cumbersome and time-consuming, leading to built-in stresses and increased setup times.
Innovation Solution
A simulation method and assembly method that involve obtaining design coordinates of measurement points on apparatus sections, comparing them to actual coordinates, and deriving correction parameters to align mating surfaces accurately, thereby reducing gaps and stresses during assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual iterative joining and fixing of apparatus sections is used, then alignment accuracy can be achieved, but assembly time and setup time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing a virtual assembly simulation before the actual physical assembly. The simulation determines correction parameters in advance that compensate for manufacturing tolerances and misalignments, allowing the physical assembly to proceed directly with these pre-calculated corrections without time-consuming iterative adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a digital twin or virtual model as a copy of the physical apparatus sections. This digital replica allows for simulation and calculation of correction parameters without affecting the actual components, enabling precise alignment planning that eliminates the need for repeated trial-and-error physical adjustments.
2Manufacturing precision
If coarse alignment followed by iterative fine alignment is performed, then mating surfaces can be precisely aligned, but built-in stresses increase due to repeated adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The simulation performs preliminary calculation of correction parameters that account for all expected misalignments and tolerances before assembly begins. This allows the mating surfaces to be aligned in a single operation without repeated adjustments, preventing the accumulation of built-in stresses that would result from multiple tightening and loosening cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The simulation incorporates feedback from the virtual assembly process to determine optimal correction parameters. By analyzing the digital model's behavior during virtual mating surface alignment, the system calculates precise correction values that compensate for tolerances without requiring physical trial-and-error that would induce stresses.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional assembly methods without simulation are used, then simpler procedures are followed, but alignment reliability and accuracy decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital twin copy of the physical assembly process that can be simulated and optimized without complexity. This virtual model allows for reliable determination of correction parameters while keeping the actual physical procedure simple - operators only need to apply the pre-calculated correction values without performing complex iterative adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical trial-and-error alignment process with a computational simulation system. Instead of relying on physical measurement and repeated adjustment, the system uses computer-based simulation to calculate correction parameters, thereby substituting mechanical iteration with digital computation that provides both simplicity and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A simulation method of simulating correction parameters for aligning a first mating surface of a first section and a second mating surface of a second section of an apparatus or an aircraft airframe, with respect to each other, including obtaining design coordinates of a simulation set of measurement points on the first and second sections, measuring concrete coordinates of some of the measurement points when the first and second mating surfaces are arranged to face each other within a predefined distance range from each other, comparing the design coordinates to the concrete coordinates, and deriving at least one correction parameter from the comparison. An assembly method for assembling a first section and a second section of an apparatus, a corresponding assembly program, a computer-readable data carrier, a computing device and a respective assembly arrangement for assembling a first section and a second section of an apparatus are provided.