Automated Clamp With Self-Aligning Jaws for Wing Box Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of aircraft wing boxes is time-consuming and complicated due to the need for drilling, shimming, and bolting multiple components together, which can lead to inter-laminar burring and disassembly issues, making one-way assembly impractical without a clamping force, especially due to the scale and geometry of aircraft wings.
Innovation Solution
An automated clamp system with rotatable jaw pieces and contact normalization systems that align and correct misalignment, allowing for precise clamping of rib webs to rib posts or feet, enabling continuous clamping during drilling and fastening without disassembly, using a vision system and sensors for accurate alignment and tool module docking for drilling and fastening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional drilling and fastening methods are used without continuous clamping, then disassembly and cleaning are required to prevent inter-laminar burring, but this increases assembly time and reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp applies clamping force before drilling begins and maintains it throughout the drilling and fastening process. This preliminary and continuous clamping action prevents inter-laminar burring from the start, eliminating the need for subsequent disassembly and cleaning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated clamp system maintains continuous clamping force throughout the entire drilling and fastening operation. The robotic arm moves the clamp between drilling positions without releasing the clamping force, ensuring continuous suppression of burring and eliminating idle time between operations.
2Productivity
If automated clamping is implemented to enable one-way assembly, then productivity improves, but device complexity increases due to the need for robotic integration and alignment systems
Solution Approach 1:
The nose-piece automatically orients itself to be perpendicular to the rib web surface through its rotatable joint with the jaw body. This self-aligning capability eliminates the need for complex external alignment systems and reduces device complexity while maintaining automated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The nose-piece is designed with rotational freedom relative to the jaw body, allowing it to dynamically adapt its orientation to match the actual surface geometry of the rib web. This dynamic adjustment simplifies the overall system by eliminating rigid alignment requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If the clamp maintains precise alignment with the rib web surface, then manufacturing precision improves, but the complexity of alignment mechanisms increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nose-piece automatically orients itself perpendicular to the rib web surface through its rotatable joint, achieving precise alignment without requiring complex external alignment mechanisms. The rotation is driven by the geometry of the contact surfaces rather than active control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The nose-piece acts as an intermediary element between the jaw body and the rib web surface. It absorbs and compensates for misalignments through its rotational degree of freedom, ensuring precise clamping contact while simplifying the overall alignment requirements of the system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The automated clamp system facilitates efficient one-way assembly by maintaining clamping force during drilling and fastening, preventing inter-laminar burring and debris entry, thus reducing assembly time and improving the efficiency of aircraft wing construction.
Implementation Method 1
the nose-piece is configured to passively rotate relative to the jaw body upon contact with the surface
Implementation Method 2
The bearing surface may be formed between a spherical end surface of the jaw body and a spherical end surface of the nose-piece
Implementation Method 3
The clamp jaws may comprise two or more flexible elements configured to bias the nose-piece towards the jaw body
Data Source
AI summary
An automated clamp for clamping a rib web to a rib post or rib foot of an aircraft wing box is disclosed including a clamp frame having a first arm and a second arm extending from the base of the clamp frame. The second arm is moveable towards and away from the first arm; a robot end effector connector coupled to the clamp frame; clamp jaws including a first jaw fixed at a distal end of the first arm, and a second jaw fixed at a distal end of the second arm, the clamp jaws configured to clamp a rib web to a rib post or clamp a rib web to a rib foot. The first jaw and/or second jaw includes a contact normalisation system, the contact normalisation system including: a jaw body fixed relative to the respective arm.