Aircraft Airframe Section Assembly with Movable Reference Receptacles
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of aircraft airframes faces challenges in achieving precise assembly due to difficulties in producing separate sections with tight tolerance bounds, often requiring lengthy and expensive shimming processes and dedicated assembly tools.
Innovation Solution
An assembly method involving the use of reference structures with protrusions and apertures, and assembly tools with jig frames and pickup devices, ensures accurate positioning and orientation of airframe components, allowing for precise attachment and reduced need for shimming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If separate airframe sections are produced independently, then production flexibility is improved, but assembly precision deteriorates due to tolerance accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling components on a reference structure before final attachment. The reference structure serves as a temporary precision platform where components are positioned and secured with high precision fasteners before being permanently attached to the airframe section, thereby maintaining both production flexibility and assembly precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The reference structure acts as an intermediary between independently produced airframe sections. It provides a common precision reference framework that mediates the assembly process, allowing components from different sections to be accurately aligned and attached without direct reference to each other, thus solving the tolerance accumulation problem while maintaining production flexibility.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional rigid metal jigs are used for assembly, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly tool is segmented into a modular reference structure with multiple independent reference members rather than a single rigid metal jig. Each reference member can be independently positioned and secured, providing structural stability while reducing overall complexity and allowing for easier assembly and disassembly of the tooling system.
Solution Approach 2:
The reference structure is designed with universal reference members that can serve multiple functions: providing positioning references, serving as mounting surfaces for components, and acting as structural support. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized dedicated tools for each assembly operation, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining stability.
3Manufacturing precision
If tight tolerance bounds are enforced on airframe sections, then final assembly precision is improved, but manufacturing difficulty and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring each airframe section to be manufactured to tight tolerances, the patent uses a reference structure that copies the ideal geometric relationships. The reference members are manufactured with high precision to establish correct positions and orientations, and components are attached relative to these references rather than relying on precision of the airframe sections themselves, thereby easing manufacturing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces reliance on mechanical precision of airframe sections with a precision reference system. Rather than depending on the mechanical accuracy of manufactured parts to fit together, the system uses the reference structure to mechanically establish correct positions, substituting the need for tight tolerances in the airframe sections themselves with precision in the reference structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
An assembly process for assembling at least part of an aircraft airframe (4), the assembly process comprising: providing a first assembly including a first part of the airframe (6) and a first reference structure (64) attached thereto; providing a second assembly including a second part of the aircraft airframe and a second reference structure attached thereto; receiving, by a first receptacle (154), the first reference structure (64); receiving, by a second receptacle (154), the second reference structure; moving, by an actuation device, the receptacles (154) into a predetermined configuration, thereby moving the first part of the aircraft airframe (6)and the second part of the aircraft airframe into a predetermined configuration; and performing an assembly operation on the airframe parts to fixedly attach together the first part of the aircraft airframe (6) and the second part of the aircraft airframe, thereby producing the part of the aircraft airframe (4).