Autonomous Carrier for Wing Assembly Orientation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft manufacturing processes are inefficient due to the time-consuming movement of aircraft structures between stations, which disrupts continuous operation and increases maintenance costs, especially as the size of the structures grows, making traditional tool movement systems impractical and expensive.
Innovation Solution
A carrier system comprising a platform with a movement system, support members, a laser alignment system, and an actuator system, which maintains the structure in a desired orientation during movement, allowing continuous operation and reducing the need for station-to-station transfers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the wing is moved from one station to another station to perform different operations, then different assembly operations can be performed on the wing, but the time needed to move the wing adds to the total assembly time
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the wing between stationary stations, the invention inverts the approach by bringing stationary tools to the wing. The wing remains fixed on its carrier while multiple tool carriers with different assembly tools are moved to the wing's location, allowing different operations to be performed without moving the wing itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces dynamic elements through automated tool carriers that can move along rails or tracks to different positions around the wing. This dynamic system allows tools to be brought to the wing as needed, enabling multiple operations to be performed sequentially without interrupting the wing's fixed position, thus eliminating transfer time while maintaining operational versatility.
2Ease of operation
If traditional tool movement systems are used to move tools around the wing, then assembly operations can be performed, but the system becomes impractical and expensive as the size of the structures grows
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex mechanical tool movement systems with a simplified rail or track-based guidance system. Instead of manually moving heavy tools around large wing structures, automated tool carriers move along predefined rails, reducing the complexity of positioning mechanisms while maintaining the ability to perform various assembly operations on large structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces tool carriers as intermediary elements between the stationary tools and the wing. These tool carriers serve as mediators that transport tools to the wing's location along guided paths, simplifying the overall system by separating the tool storage/positioning function from the wing manipulation function, and making the system more manageable for large-scale structures.
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
This solution enables efficient assembly line-style manufacturing by maintaining the structure's orientation and reducing the time needed for assembly, thereby decreasing overall production costs and increasing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a laser alignment system, an actuator system, and a controller. The controller is coupled to the laser alignment system
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for moving a structure. The structure is supported on a carrier. The carrier comprises a platform having a first side and a second side, a movement system associated with the first side and configured to move the platform on a surface, a support system associated with the second side of the platform and configured to support the structure on the platform, and a leveling system configured to substantially maintain the structure in a desired orientation during movement of the platform on the surface. The carrier is moved with the structure over the surface. At least one of the movement system and the support system is adjusted to substantially maintain the structure in the desired orientation.