Aircraft Wing Assembly Line Using Suspended Panels and Indexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft wing fabrication and assembly processes face delays due to uneven work completion rates and require extensive setup and cataloging, with automated inspection techniques being time-consuming and expensive.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an assembly line system where large components are moved in pulses or continuously, with discrete work stations performing tasks simultaneously, and using indexing features on components to streamline transportation and assembly, including suspending wing panels beneath shuttles for efficient rib and spar installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If components are fabricated and assembled in predefined cells on a factory floor, then work can be performed on each component, but the entire assembly must wait at each cell until all work is completed, causing delays
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly process is segmented into multiple workstations arranged in a linear sequence, with each workstation performing specific tasks on different portions of the wing assembly simultaneously. This allows parallel processing of multiple components across different stations, eliminating the waiting time inherent in sequential cell-based fabrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional cell-based layout to a one-dimensional linear assembly line with multiple workstations positioned along the span of the wing. This spatial reorganization enables simultaneous work at multiple locations along the assembly, dramatically improving throughput while maintaining manufacturing capability.
2Measurement precision
If automated optical inspection techniques and probes are used to inspect position of parts, then inspection accuracy is improved, but the process becomes time-consuming and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
Indexing features are incorporated into the component design during the manufacturing phase, establishing precise reference points before assembly begins. This preliminary action eliminates the need for time-consuming post-assembly inspection and measurement, as the indexing features provide inherent positional accuracy that can be quickly verified during assembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses physical indexing features (such as precision-machined surfaces, holes, or geometric references) that replicate the required positional information directly on the components. These physical copies of position data replace the need for complex optical scanning and probing systems, providing rapid and accurate position verification without the time and cost overhead of automated inspection equipment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If components are moved frequently between cells, then work can be performed at different locations, but each movement requires setup time that reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple workstations are combined into a single integrated linear assembly line, allowing various operations to be performed at different locations along the wing span without physically moving the component between separate cells. The component remains stationary or moves continuously through the line, while tools and operators access different work areas, eliminating repeated setup time associated with inter-cell transfers.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly system is designed to be dynamically adaptable, with workstations and tooling that can be adjusted and reconfigured along the linear line without requiring component relocation. This dynamic capability provides the flexibility previously achieved through frequent moves, but without the productivity penalty of repeated setup time.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for assembling a wing. Methods include suspending an upper wing panel (550-1) of an aircraft beneath a shuttle (540), translating a rib (572) to a position it, and placing the rib into contact with, then affixing the rib to, the upper wing panel, while suspended. Some methods include installing ribs and spars (580) to the upper wing panel, and joining a lower wing panel to the ribs and spars, while the upper wing panel is suspended. Some methods involve joining ribs to spars (e.g., all, or some) to produce a support structure that is then affixed to the upper wing panel. Systems include a shuttle that suspends an upper wing panel, and a cart that includes supports to hold a rib, a chassis to translate the rib to a position beneath the upper wing panel, and a lifting apparatus to lift the rib into contact with the upper wing panel.