Aircraft Pressure Bulkhead Assembly with Virtual Fit Hole Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for assembling pressure bulkheads in aircraft are inefficient, leading to oversized holes, multiple measurement and alignment steps, labor-intensive processes, and wastage due to the use of complex and expensive drill jigs, particularly when dealing with carbon fiber materials that are difficult to machine.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that involves determining the optimized position of splice angles to form a circumferential splice surface, performing a virtual fit with the pressure bulkhead, and drilling corresponding holes using CNC machines to align and join the splice angles accurately, reducing the need for shims and minimizing manufacturing errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If drill jigs are used to assemble pressure bulkhead and splice angles, then alignment can be achieved, but the process becomes labor-intensive, time-consuming, and requires multiple measurement and alignment steps
Solution Approach 1:
The splice angles are pre-positioned and pre-drilled with holes at optimized positions before final assembly. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex drill jigs and multiple alignment steps during assembly, significantly reducing labor and time while maintaining precision through the pre-determined optimized positions
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a digital model or template to determine the optimized positions of splice angles and hole locations. This digital copy or template replaces the physical drill jig, providing precise positioning information without requiring complex physical alignment tools during assembly
2Manufacturing precision
If drill jigs are used to drill holes through pressure bulkhead and splice angles, then hole positions can be established, but oversized holes result and material wastage increases
Solution Approach 1:
Holes are pre-drilled in the splice angles at precisely calculated optimized positions before assembly. This preliminary drilling with exact positioning eliminates the need for oversized holes and material removal during assembly, preventing material wastage while ensuring accurate hole alignment
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical drill jig system with a computer-controlled positioning and drilling system. This substitution enables precise hole placement without the tolerance accumulations and material wastage associated with traditional mechanical jig-based drilling
3Ease of manufacture
If splice angles are repeatedly placed and removed from the jig during assembly, then adjustments can be made, but production lags occur
Solution Approach 1:
All positioning adjustments and optimizations are performed in advance through digital modeling and calculation to determine the final optimized positions. Splice angles are pre-positioned according to these optimized positions, eliminating the need for repeated placement and removal during assembly, thus preventing production lags while maintaining manufacturing flexibility
4Ease of manufacture
If complex assembly jig tooling is used to join pressure bulkhead with splice angles, then assembly can be completed, but installation time increases and labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The splice angles are pre-assembled with the pressure bulkhead at optimized positions, and holes are pre-drilled and pre-aligned before final installation. This preliminary assembly eliminates the need for complex drill jigs and multiple alignment steps during installation, significantly reducing installation time and labor requirements while maintaining assembly capability
Solution Approach 2:
The complex physical assembly jig tooling is replaced with a digital model or template that provides precise positioning information. This digital copy enables simple, rapid assembly without complex physical tools, reducing both installation time and labor while maintaining precise assembly capability
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a pressure bulkhead assembly of an aircraft includes determining an optimized position of splice angles such that splice surfaces of the splice angles will form a circumferential splice surface of the pressure bulkhead assembly with an optimized shape. The method further includes performing a virtual fit between the plurality of splice angles, at the optimized position, and an aft pressure bulkhead. The method also includes determining splice-angle-hole positions of splice-angle holes to be drilled in each one of the splice angles such that the splice-angle holes will correspond to aft-pressure-bulkhead holes, pre-drilled in the aft pressure bulkhead. The method further includes drilling the splice-angle holes in each one of the splice angles at the splice-angle-hole positions. The method also includes joining each one of the splice angles with the aft pressure bulkhead such that the splice surfaces form the circumferential splice surface with the optimized shape.