Smart Drill Plate Guidance for Low-Defect Vehicle Fastening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for drilling holes and installing fasteners in vehicle structures, such as aircraft fuselages, either require manual labor with high defect risks or automated systems that are costly and complex.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising smart drill plates with machine-readable elements, drill guns, and fastener insertion guns that automate and ensure precise drilling and fastener installation, reducing defects by up to 90% through integrated quality control and reduced training time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual drilling and fastener installation methods are used, then equipment complexity and cost are reduced, but defect rates increase and training requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drill plate system performs self-identification through machine-readable elements (barcodes, RFID) that automatically provide hole location, size, and fastener type information to the drilling equipment, eliminating the need for complex pre-programming while ensuring accurate drilling parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors and machine-readable elements that provide real-time feedback on drill plate positioning, hole drilling status, and fastener installation completion, enabling automatic quality verification without complex automated machinery
2Device complexity
If manual drilling and fastener installation methods are used, then equipment cost is reduced, but training time and operational errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The machine-readable elements on drill plates automatically communicate drilling parameters and fastener specifications to the equipment, eliminating the need for operators to memorize complex procedures and reducing training requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The drill plate acts as an intermediary carrier that physically positions itself on the vehicle structure and electronically transmits all necessary drilling and fastening information, simplifying the operator's role to placement and execution
3Reliability
If automated drilling and fastener installation systems are used, then defect rates are reduced, but device complexity and maintenance cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the automated process into simple, modular components: drill plates with machine-readable elements, portable drilling equipment, and fastener installation tools, each performing a single function that can be independently maintained and replaced
Solution Approach 2:
Complex mechanical automation is replaced with electronic information exchange through machine-readable elements and sensors, allowing portable rather than fixed equipment to achieve automated precision
4Reliability
If automated drilling and fastener installation systems are used, then defect rates are reduced, but implementation and maintenance expense increase
Solution Approach 1:
Drill plates are designed as disposable or easily replaceable components with machine-readable elements, eliminating the need for expensive, permanent automated drilling systems while maintaining high precision and low defect rates
Solution Approach 2:
The drill plate serves as a low-cost intermediary that carries all necessary information and positioning data, replacing expensive fixed automation infrastructure with portable, information-driven tools
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for drilling a hole in a vehicle structure and installing a fastener in the hole. A drill plate having openings and associated machine-readable elements is positioned on the structure. A drill gun is positioned in a particular opening and reads hole information from the associated element, and a computer determines whether the drill gun is properly set-up to drill the hole. A fastener insertion gun is positioned in the particular opening and reads fastener information from the element, and the computer determines whether the hole has been drilled and, if so, whether the fastener insertion gun is properly set-up to insert the fastener. A fastener delivery subsystem stores, tracks, and delivers fasteners to the fastener insertion gun. A system computer monitors the drilling of every hole, the insertion of every fastener, and the overall operation of the fastener delivery subsystem.