Sympathetic Robotic Mounts for Non-Contact Aircraft Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic manufacturing systems for airplane assembly face inefficiencies and potential damage due to the need for movable tracks to be mounted directly on the fuselage or wings, which is time-consuming and limits access for tasks like painting and cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A robotic manufacturing system with rigid, non-flexible track mounts positioned sympathetically to the underlying item, allowing end effectors to perform tasks like drilling, welding, and painting without direct contact, using jointed members with multiple degrees of freedom to adapt to the item's contour.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If movable tracks are mounted directly on the fuselage or wings, then the robotic system can be flexibly positioned and applied, but the mounting process is time-consuming and causes possible damage to the manufactured item
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces fixed support structures (stands) as intermediary elements that are positioned near the fuselage rather than directly on it. These stands serve as mediators between the robotic system and the aircraft, providing stable mounting while eliminating direct contact with the manufactured item. The tracks are mounted on these fixed supports rather than directly on the fuselage, resolving the contradiction by maintaining positioning flexibility through adjustable mount mechanisms while avoiding damage and reducing setup time associated with direct mounting.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of mounting the tracks directly on the manufactured item (fuselage), the patent inverts the approach by mounting the tracks on fixed support structures that are positioned near the item. This inversion allows the robotic system to maintain adaptability through adjustable mount mechanisms while eliminating the harmful effects of direct mounting. The support structures are placed strategically around the fuselage to provide access without contact, thereby resolving the time-loss contradiction.
2Ease of operation
If movable tracks are mounted directly on the fuselage, then the robotic system can access the surface for manufacturing tasks, but the surface under the track cannot be accessed for painting and cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the robotic system into multiple independent robotic units, each with its own track and mount mechanism. This segmentation allows different robotic systems to access different areas of the fuselage simultaneously - some positioned for manufacturing tasks like drilling and welding, others positioned for painting and cleaning. The fixed support structures are strategically placed to enable this segmented access, resolving the contradiction by allowing multiple operations on different surface areas without interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimension approach (one track directly on the fuselage) to a multi-dimensional arrangement by positioning fixed support structures at various locations around the fuselage (above, below, left, right). This spatial distribution in multiple dimensions allows robotic systems to access different surfaces simultaneously - manufacturing robots can work on areas facing the tracks while painting and cleaning robots access areas underneath or between the support structures, thereby resolving the access contradiction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If movable tracks are mounted directly on the manufactured item, then the system can be applied to various positions, but disengagement is time-consuming and causes additional possible damage
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed support structures serve as permanent intermediaries that remain in place while the robotic mounts are removed. This eliminates the need for repeated mounting and dismounting of the entire system. The adjustable mount mechanisms allow the robotic units to be easily attached and detached from the fixed supports without causing damage to the fuselage, thereby resolving the contradiction between positioning flexibility and ease of disengagement.
4Productivity
If the track is positioned close to the fuselage surface, then the end effectors can perform tasks efficiently, but freshly painted surfaces cannot be engaged immediately causing downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the manufacturing process by assigning different robotic systems to different tasks and timeframes. Painting robots operate on freshly painted surfaces when the fuselage is stationary, while manufacturing robots (drilling, welding, etc.) operate when the fuselage is positioned in the assembly hangar with tracks in place. The fixed support structures enable this temporal and functional segmentation, allowing painted surfaces to be processed separately without interfering with manufacturing operations, thereby resolving the downtime contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic positioning capabilities through adjustable mount mechanisms that can move robotic end effectors closer to or farther from the fuselage surface as needed. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize positioning for different tasks - close positioning for manufacturing tasks requiring precision, and farther positioning when painting operations are underway. The ability to dynamically reposition resolves the contradiction between efficiency and downtime by allowing the system to adapt to different operational phases.
Data Source
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Figure 3A
AI summary
A robotic manufacturing system includes a track extending along a length of a component of a partially manufactured item, wherein the component has a non-constant longitudinal shape, the track being supported independently of the partially manufactured item. The system includes a jointed member having an elongated arcuate shape, a mount longitudinally movable along the track and configured to receive the jointed member in an articulating manner, and an end effector movably mounted on the jointed member. The jointed member is movable along a portion of the component length in a radial position sympathetic to the non-constant component longitudinal shape. The jointed member is longitudinally movable relative to the mount along its elongated arcuate shape such that the jointed member will move in an arc spaced from and around an outer component surface. A portion of the end effector is movable along a length of the jointed member.