Center Wing Hole Machining With Measurement-Based Jig Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and complexity of jigs used in assembling aircraft center wings, which are made of shaped steel materials, make it challenging to achieve both a reduction in the number of jigs and high assembly accuracy.
Innovation Solution
An assembly apparatus comprising a retainer, a position measurement device, and a machining device that measures the difference between intended and actual machining positions to form coupling holes in shaped steel materials, allowing for accurate assembly without the need for expensive jigs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If expensive and complex jigs are used to retain and position the center wing during assembly, then high assembly accuracy is achieved, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the positioning function from the complex mechanical jigs and transfers it to the shaped steel materials themselves through provided positions (reference features). This eliminates the need for expensive external jigs while maintaining assembly accuracy, as the shaped steel materials serve as their own positioning references.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaped steel materials provide their own positioning references (provided positions) that are used by the machining device to accurately form coupling holes. This self-positioning capability eliminates dependence on external jigs, reducing device complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision.
2Device complexity
If the number of jigs is reduced to lower cost and complexity, then device complexity decreases, but maintaining high assembly accuracy becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a position measurement device that measures the actual positions of provided positions on shaped steel materials and compares them with intended positions. This feedback information is used to adjust the machining device's positioning, ensuring high assembly accuracy even without complex jigs by compensating for positional deviations through measurement and adjustment.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional jigs are used to position shaped steel materials, then assembly accuracy is maintained, but the cost and complexity of the assembly apparatus increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical positioning system (jigs) with a measurement and control system. The position measurement device optically or electronically measures provided positions, and the machining device uses this information to automatically position and form coupling holes, substituting mechanical jigs with a more cost-effective measurement and control approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses provided positions on shaped steel materials as reference copies of the intended assembly geometry. These provided positions serve as templates that the position measurement device reads and the machining device follows to accurately form coupling holes, eliminating the need to physically replicate positioning features in expensive jigs.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly apparatus includes a retainer, a position measurement device, and a machining device. The retainer is configured to hold an assembly. The position measurement device is configured to measure a difference between an intended machining position and an actual machining position of a first coupling hole in a first assembly component. The first coupling hole is capable of being coupled to the assembly. The machining device is configured to form a second coupling hole capable of communicating with the first coupling hole in the assembly based on a reference position set on the assembly and the difference.